The baby has arrived! Months of arduous work culminated in the birth of a video masterpiece, and it’s time to show it to the world.

If you did your due diligence (recommended), you’ve developed a comprehensive social media video marketing strategy (recommended) with a diverse set of new media distribution channels that you have calculated down to the penny are perfect for your 1) brand, 2) creative concept, 3) style of video, and 4) target audience.

Let’s face it. Your company’s marketing mix is wrong if it isn’t heavy on video and social media.

• Video is the best medium to communicate a brand’s message.
• Social platforms reach almost 3 billion people worldwide.

How big are social media platforms? Planet Earth’s total population is 7.9 billion people. There are 4.6 billion active global internet users, or 59.5% of the total population (Statista, 01/2021).

The Top 15 Social Media Channels

Social Media Platform        Country          Year Launched        # of Active Users (07/21)

Facebook                             USA               2000                         2.7 billion active users

YouTube                              USA               2005                         2.2 billion active users

WhatsApp                            USA               2009                         2.0 billion active users

Facebook Messenger         USA               2008                         1.3 billion active users

Instagram                              USA               2009                         1.2 billion active users

WeChat                                  China             2011                         1.2 billion active users

TikTok                                    China             2017                         689 million active users

QQ                                          China             1999                         617 million active users

Douyin                                   China             2016                         600 million active users

Sina Weibo                            China            2010                           511 million active users

Telegram                               Dubai             2013                          500 million active users

Snapchat                               USA                2011                          498 million active users

Kuaishou                               China             2015                          481 million active users

Pinterest                                USA                2010                          442 million active users

Reddit                                    USA                2005                          430 million active users

That is a lot of international online marketing real estate – and Twitter’s 300 million followers aren’t even on it! It’s hard to imagine that a business can still exist if they underestimate the importance and influence of social media networks, especially when 40% of the global population isn’t even on the internet yet.

Time to Get Technical

Video and social media are the perfect matches at the ideal time. Technological developments in streaming technology increased average upload/download speeds throughout the rise of social media, paving the way for video’s digital marketing dominance.

The download speeds required to stream video content are:

• 25 Mbps: sufficient for streaming 1080p HD video.
• 10 Mbps: sufficient for 720p video.
• 5 Mbps: sufficient for 480p video.

According to Speedtest Global Index, which “ranks mobile and fixed broadband speeds from around the world on a monthly basis,” as of June 2021, average download/upload speeds in the United States were:

• 45 Mbps/68.70 Mbps.
• 08 Mbps/13.67 Mbps for mobile.

Those speeds are more than high enough to stream high-quality videos and reduce or eliminate streaming issues.

According to Speedtest.net’s Speedtest Global Index, as of June 2021, global average download/upload speeds were:

• 61 Mbps/57.67Mbps.
• 34 Mbps/12.69 Mbps for mobile.

As global video start failures and buffering issues decline, and picture quality and bit rate increase, the video will continue to be the most effective way to communicate a brand’s message.

Dominant social media networks like Facebook will most likely continue to grow (or gobble up competitors), and new social media networks will continue to launch.

Likewise, the current infrastructure investment in nationwide 5G cellular networks accelerated mobile use in the U.S. (metric). As visual content becomes easier to watch on cellular networks, another surge in its marketing capabilities will occur.

The romance between video and social media is now a long-term relationship. Future growth, integration, and reach are likely, which will, in turn, spur innovations across the spectrum of stakeholders (e.g., technology, platforms, companies, marketers, end-users).

An intelligent high-level video social media policy can build a positive feedback loop of investment and return into the video-social media partnership.

Determine your Social Media Mix

Get the data! Conduct the necessary market research and develop a solid plan to execute your video marketing strategy that begins with concept and ends with distribution. If your team applies equal thought and care to every creative chain link, you maximize your video’s chance to succeed.

Let’s say your company (We Sell Stuff, Inc.) research concludes video marketing campaigns on three specific social media networks will best serve your marketing objectives.

You discover your target audience, and a new demographic you want to reach is scattered across three very different social media channels. Two of them are video content sharing sites (e.g., YouTube and TikTok), and one is a messaging service (e.g., Facebook Messenger and WeChat).

Armed with this knowledge, your marketing team can deep dive into the fine print of how each network operates, its cost, and its projected ROI.

Customization and Optimization

The fifteen social media networks listed above are all different. Even platforms integrated and cross-promoted like Facebook & Instagram have different rules and regulations, users, languages, customs, and ways to engage with content.

Social media users are savvy, especially on their preferred network. The type of content needs to match the social media channel. It would be best if you learned their language. Instructional videos may be great on YouTube but ignored on TikTok.

Social media video content like regular videos may work wonders on Instagram Stories but flop on Facebook Messenger. You get the idea. Creative and technical teams must collaborate to successfully transition between completing a video and releasing it into the wild.

We Sell Stuff, Inc. can now practically apply its due diligence to the process of customizing your video content for each social network. That’s creative. The resulting videos then need to be optimized for each social channel’s unique technology. That’s technical.

We Sell Stuff, Inc. has a great social media marketing strategy that identifies the ideal social media networks for its video titles. The company’s creative and technical teams, including video production professionals if hired, have a high level of expertise related to the social accounts and collectively customize and optimize video content to play on each one.

Analytics

One of the significant advantages of social media marketing is the volume and breadth of the analytics available to companies that invest the time to collect, analyze, and create actionable steps around the data’s conclusions.

Click-through rates, conversion rates, bounce rates are just several examples of metrics at marketers’ fingertips.

Whether you are monitoring your Google Ads buy with Google Analytics or using the metrics provided by the social media network hosting your content, you can find out whatever you need to know to make constant improvements to your overall strategy.

A big ship is hard to steer through a canal; it moves slow and may not avoid pitfalls in time. Social media is not a big ship, but many small, agile clippers that can change course with ease quickly.

We Sell Stuff, Inc. unleashes its market analysts and, after studying a statistically significant time frame of data, learn that high-quality content promoted on two of their social media networks far outperforms the third.

The analysts also discovered that two of the four types of videos in circulation have much higher engagement levels and conversion rates. As a result, We Sell Stuff, Inc. streamlines its video marketing strategy, and a measurable increase in ROI occurs.

Reach

Social media is the stone you toss into a pond that creates concentric expanding rings that ripple outward. If you promote your customized and optimized video across the proper social media accounts (and your website), it sets a process of organic growth in motion that has a limitless reach.

The most extreme version is when individual videos “go viral.”

Other ways in which video increase a message’s reach:

• Video ads remain online in perpetuity, which allows video views in perpetuity.
• Relevant content (aka Evergreen content) drives traffic through SEO long after a video is created and distributed.
• Video clips, video thumbnails, mini video teasers increase user engagement and continue to drive traffic through SEO long after they run.
• Social media posts, or even a blog post, that include video, also drive traffic through SEO long after they post.

Yes. You need a promotional video.

See? That was easy. Now that you’ve agreed to spend a lot of money (relatively speaking) on a promotional video, it’s a good time to tell you what a promotional video is. A promotional video (or promo video) is a video that promotes a company/brand, product, service, or cause.

That definition may sound like a run-of-the-mill description of every advertisement you’ve ever seen, but there is nothing traditional about the modern promo video. Promo videos are a new front in the marketing war to stand out in infinite content space. “Infinite space” currently means 200 million active websites visited by 4.6 billion active users worldwide. Competition is medieval.

A quick note on the word “need,” as in “Do I Need a Promotional Video for My Business?” (Yes). Think of it this way. Twenty-five years ago, you didn’t need a website, and two years ago, you didn’t need a face mask.

Did we mention many types of promotional videos exist (so you may want more than one)? Here is a list of effective promo videos:

• Product Demo
• Customer Testimonial Video
• Explainer Video
• Company/Work Culture Video
• Product Review Video
• Corporate Event Video

One type of promotional video may be more effective for your specific business needs than another, but it is a statistical fact that all of them are effective (so you may want more than two). Why? What do they have in common? Promo videos are:

• Short
• Compelling
• Memorable
• Inspiring
• High-quality
• Professional storytelling
• Animation or live-action

Let’s take a promotional video tour so you can get an idea of why a promo video may be just the thing your marketing department needs to do.

Product Demo/Tour Video

Fun statistic: 69% of consumers prefer product demos when trying to decide if they are going to purchase a product or not. (Wyzowl)

Product demos show a product in action. We’re not talking about some dry run-down on how to use a lawnmower. Product demos are short, engaging, high-quality videos that use advanced storytelling through animation or live-action to get your prospective customer to reach for their wallet.

Customer Testimonial

Fun statistic: One of the top three most effective types of video content is customer testimonials. (Marketinghy)

A compelling customer testimonial video takes us on the hero’s journey. The customer is the hero and your company/product/service is the guide who helps the hero make it to the happily ever after. The formula is the same.

A person describes how idyllic their life was before a significant problem intruded and made everything terrible. Then they discover your product, and it changes everything back to the way it was before – but better. Ka’ching!

Explainer Video

Fun statistic: According to Strategic, 91% of people watch an Explainer Video when purchasing.

So many people already watch Explainer Videos on such a frequent basis they would probably find it funny that there is a term for them. An explainer video explains how a product, service, or feature works. You sell Widgets.

Your Explainer Video explains how your Widget works, how to use it, and why your Widget is the best Widget of all time.

Company/Work Culture Video

Fun statistic: Brands receive three times the positive word-of-mouth if the companies that make them inspire a higher emotional intensity. (Sprout Social)

Videos to promote your company are a little like the end of “Wizard of Oz.” You pull back the curtain, so consumers can get to know the people behind their favorite brands or learn about a company’s internal culture.

Company/work culture videos can help form a deeper and more long-term relationship with your customer base or give top talent a glimpse into why they may want to bring their professional expertise to your company.

Product Review Video

Fun statistic: “62% of consumers watch product review videos before making a purchase.” (MediaKix)

A product review video sounds like a customer testimonial. Still, the reviewer is not a happy customer but a third-party, unbiased expert or influencer in a field related to the product or service.

Think of a product review video as the Consumer Reports of promotional videos. Perceived as neutral but knowledgeable, a reviewer’s demonstration of the product and measured opinion of its performance carries a lot of weight with potential customers.

Corporate Event Video

Fun statistic: “Video of a live event increases brand favorability by 63%.” (Twitter)

Live product launches are the quintessential corporate event video, but they certainly are not limited to only that form. Live streaming an event creates buzz and excitement about a new product, or line, or partnership – whatever the case may be.

Event videos can be live-streamed or promoted on social media platforms like Facebook (Facebook Live and Facebook Stories) and Instagram (Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels).

Conclusion

That is an impressive list of options and metrics. Any business can benefit from some type of promotional video. Start slow if you need to, or if your resources are limited.

Choose the kind of promotional video that will help your organization the most and dive in. Promotional videos offer new and creative ways for brands to reach and connect with customers.

The wide range of promo video options and the diverse topographies of social media networks create unprecedented opportunities to micro-target the most likely prospects to convert into loyal customers and for a brand to demonstrate different, more human, characteristics to the public.

Corporate personhood is a legal term, but it should be a marketing one. The more a company operates as a person, the more likely it will make more enduring “person-to-person” connections.

Online marketing’s magic is a mix of creativity and data science. Industry analysts predict video (creativity) will soon be 80% of all internet traffic.

Real-time analytics (data science) allow brands to mitigate risks, real or imagined, and develop online marketing strategies that respond in an agile and nimble way to an ever-evolving marketing landscape — all while forming a deeper connection with its customers.

The marketing is creative but data-driven, and the data is clear – every business needs a promotional video… or three.

“If you build it, they will come.”

That is the famous line from W.P. Kinsella’s book-turned-hit movie, “Shoeless Joe: Field of Dreams,” about a magic baseball field where the ghosts of the greatest baseball players reunite to play ball just for fun.

All kinds of people from all sorts of places journey to the field to watch their favorite players from by-gone eras, united by nostalgia and a love for the game.

In 1965, with money and research funded by the U.S government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) an MIT professor connected a computer in Massachusetts to a computer in California, and the internet was born.

Forty years later, three forward-thinking individuals who worked for PayPal, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim, built the internet’s angel-funded field of dreams and called it YouTube.

Instead of a magic field where only players of incomparable skill and renown compete, YouTube is a video-sharing wonderland that, in 16 short years, has grown in power and influence rivaled only by its parent company, Google and Facebook.

Google, which bought YouTube in 2006, is more significant. Facebook has more active users. But YouTube is the #2 most popular social media platform worldwide, and its currency is the most popular medium worldwide – video.

Video traffic will be over 80% of all internet traffic by 2022. That’s NEXT year. Only 60% of the human race is online. Streaming technology improves every year, which makes watching a video online more manageable and more accessible.

Mobile technology, and cellular networks, improve every year, which has a similar positive impact on user-generated video-sharing platforms. More than any other company, YouTube will benefit from the skyrocketing growth and popularity of video streaming, so it’s worth a delve into YouTube’s brief history.

As promised in the title, a barrage of fantastic video ideas for YouTube beginners will follow YouTube’s timeline.

YouTube Essential Facts

Founded:                  February 14, 2005

Founders:                 Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim

Headquarters:          San Bruno, California

Parent Company:     Google, LLC (2006-present)

Advertising:             Google Ads

The following is anecdotal, but a specific individual and his friends, who may or not be related to an unnamed content writer, live on YouTube. Kids don’t realize something other than streaming exists and prefer user-generated content.

More than that, however, a kid will set up a YouTube channel, swipe the closest iPhone, and start filming. Soon your backyard Spielberg posts original content and gets LIKES from all over the world. YouTube is not just watching. It’s participating.

Anecdotal for sure, but sometimes stories you hear people tell are backed up by hard science. From Backlinko.com (Jan 2021):

• YouTube’s 2020 revenue was $19.8 billion.
• YouTube currently has 2 billion users.
• 9% of global internet users access YouTube monthly.
• Every day, viewers consume more than a billion hours of YouTube content.
• YouTube’s 2.2 billion users make it the #2 social media platform worldwide.
• India has approximately 225 million YouTube users, the most of any country. The United States follows, with 197 million.
• People between the ages of 15-35 are YouTube’s dedicated users.
• Globally, women use YouTube more than men.
• 6% of YouTube channels have fewer than 10,000 subscribers.
• Quarterly YouTube ad revenue is over $5 billion.
• In 60 days. more content is uploaded to YouTube than the combined content created by the three major U.S. networks in the past 60 years.
• On average, individual YouTube content creators receive between $3-$5 per 1000 views.
• YouTube’s ad revenue in 2021’s 2^nd quarter almost doubled to $7 billion.

Not too shabby for a company still in its awkward teenage years!

YouTube Timeline

2005              YouTube launches with Jawed Karim’s “Me at the zoo” video.

2006              Google, LLC buys YouTube for $1.65 billion (that was fast!)

2007              YouTube expands into nine countries and launches a mobile site.

2010              YouTube’s market share reaches 43%, with 14 billion video views.

2011              YouTube’s daily video views top 3 billion and 48 hours of new videos are uploaded every minute.

2012              8 million people watch a YouTube live stream of Australian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jump from a helium balloon twenty-four miles above the Earth.

2014              Susan Wojcicki appointed CEO.

2015              YouTube Music, YouTube Kids, and YouTube Gaming launch.

2016               Streaming service YouTube TV launches.

2018               YouTube Premium launches.

That’s the story of how YouTube became one the largest advertising networks in the history of humanity. Oh, the humanity! YouTube is digital marketing, and social media marketing rolled into one giant juggernaut.

Individual creators, potential customers, and regular people with unique ideas for videos are part of the YouTube community — all waiting for the world to discover.

Current YouTube Products/Services

• YouTube Premium (monthly subscription service, YouTube & YouTube Music ad-free)
• YouTube TV (streaming service, monthly subscription)
• YouTube Movies & Shows (Buy, Rent, Free with Ads)
• YouTube Music (Free with ads and limited features, Premium ad-free with all features)
• YouTube Live (live-streaming events)
• YouTube Kids
• YouTube Creator Academy
• YouTube for Artists

Back to the field of dreams. What makes YouTube a field of dreams is that it’s a dream for different reasons to different people.

Some people are addicted to watching user-generated video content, and they can’t get enough. Others are brand builders and marketing gurus who want to reach and influence YouTube’s 2 billion users.

Many are content creators who love producing videos and uploading them for the world to see – not to mention profit share through Google AdSense. Then there’s the top category of YouTube celebrities and influencers who are getting rich through the medium.

Nothing speaks louder than earning money hand over fist. For people who want traditional professional entertainment, YouTube TV and YouTube Premium offer those options as well.

YouTube Video Ideas for Beginners in 2021

Now that you’re an expert on YouTube’s history and clout, it’s time to launch your million-dollar YouTube channel. The best way to stand out on YouTube is to be your category.

However, for beginners, an excellent place to start is with the top ten most popular types of videos on YouTube. Know your audience! These types of content are what viewers watch the most (so these categories are also the most competitive).

1. Product Review Videos

The #1 type of YouTube video are product reviews. Researching products online before making a purchase is an almost daily ritual for most people. Product reviews are popular because viewers trust the source, typically an expert in a related field to the content, a consumer advocate, or an influencer with cred.

The source doesn’t matter as long as it’s a trusted source, isn’t a customer testimonial video from the product’s creator, and isn’t a paid review. Product reviews must be objective and free from bias.

2. How-To Videos

Many YouTube channels are how-to videos only and have millions of active subscribers. When you need to know how to do something, YouTube is the fastest way to find someone to teach it to you.

Warning: beauty influencers may dominate this category, but if you have a particular skill, you believe is worth teaching, and you can do it entertainingly, How-to-Videos may be the category for you.

3. Vlogs

These personal online video blogs are time-consuming but offer influencers (think beauty and travel) an authentic way to connect with their viewers by inviting them into their daily lives.

More than content, there are technical aspects to producing a Vlog that requires advanced specialized skills, so a successful Vlog has a great deal of dedicated, collaborative work that goes into it. Those efforts pay off.

Vlogs are viewers’ third most popular type of video to watch. For those who profit from their content or YouTube personas, Vlogs are their best vehicle, even if it means producing relevant content on a regular basis.

4. Gaming Videos

The gaming industry is more profitable than Hollywood and U.S. sports teams combined – and one of YouTube’s most popular video formats. If you’re a gaming enthusiast or champion, your gaming channel with Gameplay Video may be your dream come true.

5. Comedy/Skit Videos

If you can make people laugh, you’re the life of the party. The same is true on YouTube. Comedy pushes all of our happy buttons. Beauty influencers like to use comedy skits in their videos to add a more human dimension to what can seem posed and plastic.

6. Haul Videos

A consumer, statistically most likely a woman, shows the world what she bought on her latest spending spree in a haul video. To varying degrees, she talks about the experience or product in greater detail.

Haul videos evolved out of “unboxing” videos (#10) but are more informal and freeform. Brands love Haul videos because they organically showcase their products.

7. Tag or Challenge Videos

Tag videos show viewers multiple content creators performing the same video challenge. The competitive format and watching participants’ unique way of interpreting the same challenge puts tag videos at #7.

8. Favorites/Best of Videos

This category is very popular with beauty and fashion creators and influencers. Favorites videos are an intimate look at the products a YouTuber uses and loves. Like a product review, if you can build trust between viewers, they will tune in to hear your opinion, which may influence the viewer when they turn buyers.

9. Educational Videos

“Knowledge for the sake of knowledge!” That’s Harvard’s motto. Irony aside, the internet is the most resource-rich institution since the Library of Alexandria burned in 48 BCE. Viewers can find videos about any subject and in any form.

PhDs in Ancient History can guide you through the most influential ancient civilizations, and beauty Vloggers can post educational videos about products they love, whether educational in the more traditional sense or commerce; an educational channel is about sharing knowledge.

10. Unboxing Videos

Unboxing videos are the Christmas morning of videos. YouTubers love unboxing stuff, and viewers love watching them unbox stuff. Like Unboxing videos’ younger sibling, Haul videos, brands love this format because it gives their new and existing products an organic unveiling to discriminating consumers from a trusted source.

If you believe these ten video ideas for YouTube beginners are a lot to digest, please keep in mind these ideas are the most popular, not the only ones. Here’s a quick list of other video types to consider (in alphabetical order):

• Explainer Videos
• Daily Routine Videos
• Funny Videos
• Life Video
• Music Videos
• Opinion Video
• Reaction Videos
• Response Video
• Tips Videos
• Travel Videos

If you don’t see a niche in the list above, hundreds of more content ideas exist (not an exaggeration). Enthusiasts of every kind can find a video to match their interest.  Any content creator can find a corner of the YouTube community where they can feel connected and contribute.

Conclusion

Your field of dreams awaits. Play ball!

Digital video marketing is in a golden era of innovation. The online world is stacked with creative developers constantly pushing the envelope in one way or another. Whether it be a new algorithm or a new social media platform, the internet is evolving on steroids.

Digital marketers must constantly adapt to new challenges and opportunities – they must innovate as fast as the environment in which they operate.

This online marketing Galapagos gives brands (and companies) a new frontier of choices far exceeding the early, now quaint, days of running a commercial on network TV. To be clear – under the right circumstances, a TV commercial on network TV is still great, but it’s now just one way to go.

Digital marketers and companies produce many types of videos pushed through a web of online and traditional distribution channels that can reap tremendous results.

Online video dominates everything from ROI to SEO. Nobody asks the question, “Should we make a video?” anymore. The question now is, “How many do we make?” You may be a company that wants to make a staff training video or post an explainer video for a new product on your website.

You may be a new brand that wants to use video platforms like TikTok and YouTube to reach a specific screen-addicted demographic. Or you may be Geico and spend $1.5 billion a year on advertising. No matter who you are or your end game, the rules of video production are the same.

When producing your video in 2021, here are eight things to consider (in alphabetical order):

1. Branded Video Content
2. Customization
3. Education-Instructional-Training
4. Engagement
5. Increase sales
6. Production Value
7. Search Engine Optimization
8. Social Media Mapping

Branded Video Content

The hyper-competitive online marketplace requires brands to form deeper emotional connections with potential leads than their competitors – no easy task. A brand can maximize its video’s ROI with campaigns united by a common design and style. For example, a company’s videos should match its website, logo, and persona.

Digital video distribution is multi-channel or omnichannel if you prefer that term. Each platform has parameters that affect performance, and each is different. A video project can get lost in space if there isn’t a cohesive, integrated approach that ties them all together in the viewers’ minds and hearts.

Consider this prime example of branded video content. A company’s website is its global corporate headquarters. Anybody can access it 24/7 from anywhere there is internet access. A company home page with eye-catching corporate video content with excellent production value is a fantastic way to impress potential customers.

Imagine a homepage with searchable video clips displayed as a custom thumbnail image (to give it some pizazz), preferably video thumbnails, which increase YouTube click-through rates.

Customization

Video is the key that unlocks multiple kingdoms. If you make a single video and distribute it through ten different video advertising channels, your company can make an exciting impact. However, a better strategy is to make ten other videos – one for each channel.

Imagine you travel to ten different foreign countries, one right after another. You only speak your native tongue, and you stick to the tourist attractions. No matter what, your trip will be a remarkable and memorable chapter of your life. No one will question that.

Now imagine that you know the language of every county you visit. Instead of staying at a hotel and snapping selfies at famous monuments, you remain with natives of the country and see the country as the locals do. That is a different and more enriching experience.

Customizing video to the language and customs of the social channels or online distribution channel on which it will run gives brands an advantage over those who employ a one-size-fits-all strategy. Examples of customizable components that define a visual story are video format, sound, and length.

Education-Instructional-Training

Video isn’t just for hawking products.

If your brand, keep in mind that your digital video marketing strategy may include corporate videos whose target audience is a company’s employees or explainer/product videos on a company home page and social media channels.

If you are a digital marketing agency, keep in mind that your digital video clients can include educational videos for students or instructional videos for professionals.

LinkedIn Learning is the quintessential website for education-instructional training videos. Some are live-action. Some are animated. Many are both. All require professional writers, producers, and talent.

Engagement

Video increases user engagement. Not satisfied with that fact, online marketing professionals employ various deft tools to boost engagement beyond video’s inherent effectiveness.

Competition for eyeballs, hearts, and minds spur innovation. Corporate motion graphics, interactive videos, and virtual reality are three great examples.

Corporate motion graphics is an animation and voice-over combination akin to oysters and Champagne, beer and baseball, and The Captain and Tennille.

CMG videos guide viewers through products and services with ease and charm with excellent conversion rates that make people in C-office suites hand out performance bonuses.

Interactive videos are, by definition, engaging. It’s one thing to look at a slot machine and another thing entirely to pull the lever. Real people like to remove the lever.

People think of virtual reality as some sci-fi technology that will immerse them in an alternate world – and it will.

For digital marketing, however, VR is an effective way to transport viewers into the video. For example, real estate agents widely use 360-degree VR videos to give people tours of residential and commercial property.

Increase Sales

According to Wyzowl, 80% of people say product videos give them more confidence to purchase a product. Product videos can highlight features, show them in use, or explain how it works. The next best thing is to have a company ambassador in the room with the potential customer and sell it to them in person.

Product videos have a demonstrable effect directing online purchasing, which is a game-changer. Once the benefits of product videos are numerous to ignore, the stragglers who dragged their feet adopting product videos as an integral part of their digital video marketing strategy will be one step behind their competitors.

Production Value

Your video should be professional quality everything – picture, sound, performance, production design, editing, and graphics. Ads that do not meet the sophisticated expectations of modern consumers are ineffective and become fodder for parody.

Video is so important to marketing strategies that the number of videos in production is unprecedented. As companies ramp up the number of videos they produce, standards must not slip. Here is an example completely separate from digital marketing – wine. Cue the background music to “Red Red Wine.”

Making fine wine is a collaborative art form, just like video production, and it’s well-known that when a large company gobbles up a successful boutique winery, the new owner will inevitably ramp up production at the expense of the quality. The wine suffers a loss of reputation.

This trade-off occurs at a single winery or across an entire region. Marketing agencies need to guide their clients away from this trap. The best business model is one that maintains its integrity.

Search Engine Optimization

Video increases a website’s search ranking. Add a video, your ranking improves. It is that simple, except that it’s not simple. It’s a complex shell game of different algorithms employed by online ad distribution channels that are subject to change without warning (so to speak).

Let’s take a look at Google’s ranking method to showcase how video boosts SEO. Google uses two key metrics to rank a site:

The number of backlinks that refer users to the site.

The amount of time a viewer spends on a site.

Video typically pushes up both metrics, resulting in a higher SEO rating. A video may get prospects through the door, but the customer journey should end with a high-quality video with great storytelling and production value, or the video could have the opposite effect than intended.

Social Media Mapping

You have a finished video. Now what? The top 15 social media platforms in order by # of active users: Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WeChat, TikTok, QQ, Douyin, Sina Weibo, Telegram, Snapchat, Kuaishou, Pinterest, and Reddit.

The challenge here is two-fold. First, you should commit to an appropriate amount of due diligence to determine the platforms that will best help you accomplish your business objectives.

For example, maybe your target audience is hiding in gaming channels or responds to a specific type of video, such as customer testimonial videos. You won’t know until you get the data. Second, you should produce content tailored for the media you do choose. For example, shorter videos are the best content for TikTok.

An advanced level of expertise is needed to exploit all the potential advantages video can give a product or brand. Every platform has different users who engage with content in different ways.

On the back end, each platform has technical specifications that optimize quality and performance. Lastly, each platform has various algorithms that impact a video’s endurance in its search results.

Corporate videos aren’t new – there are just more types of videos, and, in the age of instant analytics, they are more effective. Companies leverage the power of video for internal employees and an increasing number of external users.

Typically hosted on a company’s website, featured in direct marketing campaigns, or distributed through company-run social media accounts, corporate video content is an excellent way for a company/brand to diversify its multi-media profile and reach existing and potential customers in innovative ways.

When your company’s creative team sequesters in a room for its first corporate video brainstorming session (recommended), one of the first items on the written, distributed-in-advance agenda (recommended) is to decide if Animation or Live-Action will better serve the type of video you plan to make.

Animation is a popular and often more preferable creative approach to video. One only needs to look at the current Japanese anime craze to understand how deeply rooted animation is in our shared global culture.

Yet, live-action video production with top-notch storytelling remains one of the best and most memorable ways to connect with people – and, when done right, can be an enriching, collaborative endeavor.

This article is an exercise. Below, a list of ten types of corporate videos. Read through them and think about which way you would go – Animation or Live-Action.

Staff training. For example, you need to teach new employees how a specific type of meeting runs and why.

1. Safety: For example, your company is in biotech and handles hazardous materials. Safety is paramount, and video is the best way to communicate that core message.
2. Corporate Event Videos: For example, a new product launch. Apple Inc. loves new product launch videos.
3. Trade show videos: For example, every year, an auto show sponsored by major global car brands is held in several major cities to introduce new vehicles, concept cars, and showcase classic cars. Everywhere you look, a slick video of a car, or SUV, or EV doing miraculous things. Some videos give you a tour of the vehicle – or through the car’s engine!
4. Explainer videos: There are so many examples, here are just two. One, online recipe sites with explainer videos showing how to prepare a dish. Two, new product features explainer videos.
5. Client and customer testimonial videos: It’s a good thing Yelp reviews aren’t videos. That would be a dismal set of business-killing videos for sure. However, if YOU make the customer testimonials, you can control the narrative.
6. Company/brand promotional videos: This category is to promote something other than a company’s product or brand. For example, a company that partners with a charity makes a video promoting its cause.
7. Education Videos: In this case, the company is a school, college, or university. Over the last year, Covid-19 drove significant growth in videos produced for education. Schools from kindergarten to graduate school moved online. Video conferencing (e.g., Zoom) and video (e.g., Flipchart) are the two pillars of virtual learning.
8. Billionaires in space videos: A new category for videos that are a unique and groundbreaking spectacle. For example, recent videos of billionaires and their friends bouncing around rocket ship cabins in zero gravity. Space tourism is coming to the (wealthy) masses, and the footage we’ve all seen on the news will be in so many investor/promotional/corporate videos there is no doubt editors are already working their magic.

The Case for Live-Action

There is an allure to live-action production. Everybody gets to pretend they’re on a big Hollywood movie set for a couple of days and call it a wrap. However, video production is a complex process with many creative and technical complexities.

Companies should always consider hiring video production professionals over the DIY approach. Their expertise is needed all the more on live-action productions.

The mission is to connect with your target audience in a meaningful, memorable way as quickly as possible. Live-action may be your best option for the following reasons:

1. Viewers form an emotional connection with characters (or real people featured in a video) they feel are like them and whose stories resonate in their own lives. The human element prevails.
2. Only live-action captures the full range of human emotions. A tone, a gesture, an eccentricity are just a few subtle ways humans communicate humor, anxiety, confidence, happiness, sadness, and on and on.
3. Visual storytelling is an art form with a blueprint found in every human culture throughout recorded history. There is not more effective way to communicate. Full stop.
4. Video’s impact can only reach its full potential through live-action. Go back to the example of car videos at car shows. Showcasing the beauty and power of a sexy new sports car is better served by live-action footage.
5. Video is king, and celebrities are the king of videos. Without dispute, featuring a celebrity or legitimate influencer in a video will typically increase its reach, audience engagement, conversion rates, and overall ROI.

Cons of Live-Action

Consider these downsides when producing live-action video content.

1. Managing the human element of video production is challenging and unpredictable. For example, the talent in the video will most likely require special handling for which there is no handbook. Good luck.
2. Video production companies produce videos for a wide range of budgets, but there is no way around the fact that the least expensive live-action video production is costly. You can cut corners in many ways, but you can’t get around necessary expenses like lighting equipment.
3. A live-action shoot is susceptible to setbacks. For example, your video project’s big shot is a spectacular sunset that morphs into the brand’s logo, but when the day of the shoot arrives, it rains for a week.

The Case for Animation

Let’s all go to the lobby!

Let’s all go to the lobby!

Let’s all go to the lobby!

To get ourselves a treat!

If you don’t know that song, do yourself a favor, go to YouTube, and cut and paste the lyrics into the search bar. This vintage animated video content encouraging 1950s movie-goers to hit the concession stand during intermission will not disappoint. (Yes, intermission.

For our younger viewers, intermission is the live-action version of pausing the DVR, stream, video game, or whatever it is online you are watching).

Seven decades later, movie exhibitors still use some version of that animated video to get 2021 movie-goers to hit the concession stand. And now there’s beer and wine, so have at it. Animation video’s endurance should make it an automatic component of any video content marketing strategy.

The mission is to connect with your target audience in a meaningful, memorable way as quickly as possible. Animation may beno your best option for the following reasons:

1. Animation explains a complex idea in visually dynamic ways. For that reason, many explainer videos use animation. A stellar example is documentarian Errol Morris’s use of CGI animation in “Brief History of Time.” The animation explains the late theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking’s complicated ideas to people who aren’t geniuses.
2. A brand can commission a visual style that integrates its overall branding strategy and is designed to reach targeted demographics.
3. Animated video’s potential is as limitless as the human imagination. The Big Bang created the entire universe everywhere in a single moment. Animation is artistry’s big bang, able to create entire universes everywhere in a single moment. Or at least 15 seconds!
4. Animation allows us to go where we cannot go. Once again, go back to the car videos at car shows. There are just as many animated videos as there are live-action ones. Instead of a sleek concept car gliding along a coastal highway, we journey into the inner workings of the most advanced electric motor in development. It is quite the odyssey.
5. Animation’s remarkable craftsmanship and ability to magnify the human experience is the reason the top ten highest-grossing animated films each made over one billion dollars. One billion! In contrast, the top five live-action films made over two billion, but 6-10 are on par with animation. Not too shabby!

Cons of Animation

Consider these downsides when producing animated video content.

1. Animated video production is typically more extended than live-action. Depending on the video style and production process, turnaround times can drag out.
2. Animated video costs can be a barrier to entry. A professional animator is a rare commodity, and animation studios are even more so.
3. Animation is a different type of production. An animation script is different from a live-action script.   Animation options are different from live-action options. Animation video cost is different, which is essential when drawing up a budget.

The Case for Animation & Live-Action

Two classic examples of the harmonious marriage of animated and live-action videos provide all you need to think about the third way – both! A note: many live-action videos already include animation in the form of animated graphics and visual effects.

1. The live-action/animated “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” was a first in so many ways it’s a whole article. The movie provided an incredible showcase of what is possible when video combines the best of both worlds.
2. Another example is Norwegian one-hit-wonder pop music band Ah- Ha’s 1985 music video for their song, “Take on Me.” Warner Brothers paired the band with American director Steve Barron and American animator Mike Patterson. The resulting video became iconic and its emotional impact lasted a lot longer than A-Ha’s career.

Conclusion

Animation vs. Live-Action is an important but mostly easy decision facing companies producing corporate videos. Each type of corporate video lends itself to one medium or the other. The answer reveals itself during development for the big ideas that do not favor one direction or another in the early stages. Each medium can be marketing magic.

In the 1997 Oscar-winning feature film, “Wag the Dog,” to divert attention from a presidential scandal, an expert spin doctor, Conrad Brean (Robert De Niro), hires a seasoned Hollywood producer, Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman), to manufacture a war. Motss’ stories about challenges he has faced producing past films are priceless:

Stanley Motss

The war isn’t over ’til I say it’s over. This is my picture – this is NOT the CIA’s picture. You think you’re in a tight spot now? Alright, Conrad, try making The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – tell ’em, King.

Fad King

Three of the horsemen died.

Stanley Motss

Hear what he’s saying? Three of the horsemen DIED. Two weeks before the end of principal photography. This is NOTHING. This is nothing, this is – this is – this is just, “Act One, The War.” Now we really do need an Act Two.

“THIS IS NOTHING!” is the attitude you should adopt right now because when you start making your video, everything will go wrong. Whatever it is you think will happen isn’t going to happen, and what does happen will not be anything predictable or preventable (for the most part).

It’s a war, alright, so when everything falls apart, and you wish you had gone door-to-door with flyers instead, just remember that THREE OF THE HORSEMEN DIED! Out of four!

[ONE] You Fall for the DIY Trap

It doesn’t matter that your niece’s 15-second lip-synching TikTok video has 250,000 likes, and she’s only seven years old. She can’t make professional video ads, and neither can 99.9% of the people who work for you. Successfully producing a video requires more than .1 of a person.

If you needed heart surgery, a clear-thinking individual wouldn’t say, “You know, I think I’m just going to do it myself.”

1. Shooting video is complicated. Shooting a video at your kid’s game is not difficult. Shooting video with perfect sound and fantastic performances, if applicable, is a highly specialized skill. If anything goes wrong on your video shoot, you have no ad. Producing organic videos that encapsulate a brand’s entire message is challenging, which is why movie studios hire top talent to mitigate the risk and not kids with halo lights. Viral video rarities make headlines but are statistically insignificant.
2. Post-Production: Congratulations! You now have hours of video and sound that do not add up to anything until an entirely new group of skilled artisans get their hands on it and assemble it into the groundbreaking brand-making digital video of everybody’s dreams. Editing requires another layer of expertise that isn’t on your staff. Hire professionals.

[TWO] Audiopocalypse

The term “video” is misleading. Your “video” is really “audio-video.” That’s where the term “A/V” comes from – “Audio/Video.” In 2021, effective online digital marketing unlocks the full potential of both sound and picture.

Unfortunately, the sound is an afterthought to the majority of the participants in a video production, which results in a long list of potential points of failure throughout the campaign’s life cycle.

Pre-Production:

1. If it’s not on the page, it’s not on the stage. In a script, writers craft each word and action with great care, but the sound is almost non-existent. Sound is what the production people will do later on. Or the company will add a jingle or pay to use a popular song. Presto! Sound! The first way to avoid an Audiopocalypse is to put sound on equal footing with video from the first moment of your first brainstorming session.
2. You choose a great song for your ad, then in post you discover the cost to use it is triple the size of your budget. Do your homework.

Production:

1. The sound and the video must sync. The only exception to this rule, for some reason nobody can fully explain, is if the content originates in Japan and is dubbed into English. In that case, if it syncs, somebody will get fired, but in every other scenario involving video content.
2. Due to the unpredictability of video production, the recorded sound may not be professional grade. Sound quality issues are common, and are no reason to panic. However, fixing it requires additional work in post, which costs money (I hope you budgeted for it), needs your talent to return (scheduling nightmare), and a talented sound editor.

Post-Production:

1. Post-production effects are not professional grade. Much of the sound you hear is recorded in a studio. A sound engineer records everything from a car door slamming to a dog barking in the studio. If any of the completed work isn’t good, it may affect the overall quality of the final video.
2. The sound editing is terrible. That is your worst nightmare. You hired a professional, yet still, somehow, the last word of every line of dialogue cuts off.
3. The original song you commissioned is horrible, and nobody likes it. Bad songs happen a lot. Nothing will kill a video faster than a bad song – or the wrong song. Fun Fact: Sylvester Stallone’s younger brother Frank wrote a song called “Take it Back” for the 1979 mega-hit “Rocky.” You probably don’t remember it. Nobody does.

[THREE] Your Video is Held Hostage by Creative Differences

Any member of the professional creator community knows that “creative differences” mean that all hell has broken loose. The result is that your production has come to an inglorious halt. Think of the partisan gridlock in the United States Congress. Creative differences on a video shoot are the same thing, just with better-looking people.

1. Creative differences between talent. The worst. Creative differences between talent are like a bad date that gets progressively worse and never ends. Content creators are moody, and a creative ad campaign may unleash an ugly human element common in film/video productions.
2. Creative differences between marketing agency and production team. Choose your production company wisely. Yes, their technical capabilities must be flawless, but be sure you get along with the people. At some point, there will be conflicts that leadership must resolve to ensure the project’s success. The production talent sees themselves as independent creators, not as part of a marketing campaign.
3. Creative differences between client and marketing agency/production team. Making compelling videos involves many different types of people with different agendas. However, an advertising campaign begins and ends with the client. Nobody is heading to Cannes to walk the red carpet after completing your agency’s latest explainer videos.

[FOUR] The Film Shoot Does Not Go According to Plan

Never once in the history of filmmaking has a film/video shoot gone according to plan — the original nickelodeon flickers included. In 1900, it took half a day to film a train coming down the track. Don’t get cocky because there are billionaires in space. THREE out of FOUR of the Horsemen died. This stuff isn’t easy.

1. Your shoot goes off schedule and off-budget. A production’s kiss of death is to get behind schedule. Video production is like a taxi. You’re trapped in the back seat, and you can’t get out until the ride is over and every second the meter is running. If you get the wrong red light, you’ll miss ten green ones, and then you’ll be even more behind schedule. And all the while, the meter climbs.
2. You created a corporate budget for video production. Your film shoot will not go according to plan if your production runs out of petty cash halfway into your first day of principal photography, or you go into post-production without the money for looping (or ADR – additional dialog recording). Or maybe you committed the cardinal sin of production and short-changed the Crafts Services. Now you have fifty angry crew members who have suddenly forgotten how to pull focus and flip the lights on, and only last-minute catering from Zankou Chicken (read: premium price) will ensure the viability of your project.

[FIVE]  Distribution is Mishandled

1. Buying Ad Time. It does not matter how great or funny your video is if nobody sees it. Choosing the right channel at the right time with the best reach for your brand and selecting the ad that is the perfect length and tone for a brand’s target audiences is a distribution jigsaw puzzle. Your video may languish without the credit it deserves if all the pieces do not fit together seamlessly.
2. New media madness. YouTube Marketing, Vimeo, TikTok, Instagram Reels, Twitter, Facebook Video Feed, Google Ads, and the list keeps growing. Every distribution channel has its own rules and regulations, culture and customs, and users who engage in different ways. A killer ad on TikTok may flop on YouTube. A brand’s potential customers are out there, but one size does not fit all. If you’ve invested in a single ad, chop it up and maximize its use. Please take advantage of your video partners’ drive to maximize their profits! For example, YouTube does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Between YouTube Kids, YouTube Studio, YouTube Red, and YouTube Analytics, YouTube is begging you to reach your customers with creative messages. Add new campaign settings like Video Discovery Ads (aka TrueView Discovery Ads) give marketers new real estate to build their brands.
3. Video formats vary from channel to channel. Knowing what video ad format you need is essential. Plan on delivery of your final video in formats optimized for each channel. Do not have the quality or effectiveness of your video downgraded because it’s the wrong format. Optimize for each channel. For example, optimize mobile video for mobile users.

In 2021, advertising with video online is king. You can stream video ads almost anywhere, including company websites. There is educational video, mobile video, video carousel ads, interactive video, explainer video, etc. The digital video inventory gets bigger every year, and the average video ad spend does too.

Marketers should consider best practices for the entire lifecycle of a video ad campaign. The Creative, Storytelling, Production and Distribution of digital video ads have best practices that take an idea and turn it into a dazzling video that exceeds client and ROI expectations.

Creative Best Practices

1. Align your stakeholders: Digital video is booming but hypercompetitive. Innovative ways to stand out and the machinations of the primary digital video advertising platforms continue to develop. Whether a brand is making one video or saturating the waves, a new level of marketing expertise is required to guide stakeholders through the many options they have. One size does not fit all. Each channel has its language and culture, and the most effective video ads are customized to thrive in each specific environment. Align your stakeholders on a creative video strategy.
2. Know your target audiences: Never before has the personalization of ad campaigns been so easy. Traditional demographic data along with real-time online analytics allow marketers to know their prospects better than their mothers. Each audience responds to a different creative approach.
3. Hold well-managed brainstorming sessions: Assemble your top creative talent, put them in a room (or Zoom, if you must), and hold inclusive, open, and documented brainstorming meetings that are a free-flow exchange of ideas.
4. Write an alluring logline and synopsis: The material goal of your brainstorming sessions should be to produce a pitch sheet with a great logline and detailed synopsis of the story your video tells. The logline and synopsis are the foundation of the following two stages – Storytelling and Production.
5. Conduct due diligence on how to create a real-world video production budget: At the end of the Creative stage, make a production budget. You and your production partners will revise the initial budget multiple times as the video campaign progresses. Familiarize yourself with the equipment and language of scriptwriting, video production, and, to the most significant degree possible, the tricks of the trade to keep your project budget from spinning out of control. If you hire a video production company, they will have their budget to reconcile with yours.

Video Storytelling Best Practices

1. Hire professional writers: To maximize the success of your video, partner with people whose expertise is words. Many people listen to video ads without watching them, so every word counts. Prospects should be able to understand your product and brand message even if they’re listening to it from the next room. The screenwriter and the production crew speak a common language.
2. Use the “Rule of Three” to tell the hero’s journey: Your hero is your customer. Tell their story in three acts: The Separation (beginning), Initiation (middle), and Return (end). The brand is the guide that helps the hero “Slay the Monster” or accompanies them on “The Quest.”
3. Create “silent” visual stories: Many people watch videos without sound. Your video storytelling should be easy to understand with no sound and have an emotional impact without voices and music, both accelerators of engagement. The video content should stand on its own.
4. Hook the viewer early: In the case of a digital video ad, hook the viewer in the first five seconds. We’ve all waited impatiently to click past an ad after a five-second countdown to get to the main content. Not every ad has a countdown clock, but marketers should proceed as if they are. A Facebook analysis of video marketing shows an almost 25% increase in brand awareness retention in videos that feature the brand in the first five seconds. Even if the viewer skips the ad, it still has enormous power.
5. 30-second videos are the sweet spot: Once again, each advertising channel is different, but digital video ads that are 30 seconds or less are the most effective and have the highest completion rate as a general rule. Yes, videos of other lengths are important, and some have greater engagement on specific platforms, but 30-second video ads are the most popular.

Video Production Best Practices

1. Hire a professional video production company: Video production is like getting your arm caught in a threshing machine. A video campaign can end in ruin if the quality of the ad doesn’t meet audience satisfaction. In addition, advancements in technology allow production professionals to create more for less money.
2. Listen to the pros: Video directors, editors, production designers, and other above-the-line talent are professional visual storytellers and know how to convert your 30-second script into an eye-grabbing brand bonanza.
3. Make sure your video has professional high-quality pictures and sound that is in sync with the video: Shooting video and syncing it with audio is complex, and many video productions end in disaster because the content lacks technical proficiency. Your target audiences may tune out if a viewer hears background noise or air conditioner noise instead of the brand’s advertising objective.
4. The higher the shooting ratio, the better: The shooting ratio is the amount of video footage you shoot vs. the amount you use. Your video ad will be many ads cut from the same footage, or, if you have a large budget, multiple ads cut into many versions. Strive to have as high of a shooting ratio as your budget, time, and talent allows. Give editors as many hours of video as possible to assemble an unforgettable brand message.
5. Almost anything can happen in an editing room: Once your footage is “in the can”, the creative process begins again. Yes, the editors cut and splice to client expectations, but as professional storytellers they can produce brand new spots not previously conceived, solve technical failures that may have occurred during shooting, and are masters of accommodating last minute client changes and additions. “Fix it in the editing room” is an expression for a reason.

Digital Video Distribution Best Practices

1. Hook the viewer with more than the story: You want your video’s story to hook the viewer in the first five seconds. Bolster those chances and enhance the user experience and increase retention by adding product photos, brand logos, other eye-catching graphics, and captions.
2. Optimize your video’s length and format for whichever social media platform on which it will/ run: All of the social media networks have different, ever-evolving technical specifications and algorithms. Analysis of video ads proves video ad formats, and other video ad specs impact the success of an online video. It takes extra effort to customize video advertising campaigns but your average conversion rate increases when video content fits with the channel and its regular users.
3. Mobile video ads are different: Keep in mind that a social network’s technical specifications may differ between “desktop” and “mobile/tablet” versions. Users’ viewing patterns vary as well. Mobile users have an average attention span that is short, so they respond to shorter videos. Most mobile users prefer vertical videos to landscape videos. While “mobile-first” ad spending is not as dedicated as overall video ad spends, mobile use and mobile-preferred user-generated video content platforms like TikTok are rising. Knowledge of the mobile ad space is critical to leverage video’s power entirely.
4. Test, Test, Test! Digital advertising platforms such as Google AdWords allow you to place different types and lengths of video ads on multiple platforms/sites. After a test run, analytics provided by the advertising platforms show which ads perform the best and on which channels. Marketers can adjust campaigns to maximize ROI.
5. Get the data: The most nerve-wracking part of any ad campaign is waiting to get the data that will tell you whether or not you’ve struck gold or struck out. Not only can you test your ads as described above, but the volume and depth of online analytics guarantee that no guesswork will be necessary to determine success or not. Get the data. Analyze it. Synthesize it. Then make course corrections as necessary.

Your brand should be engaged in an ongoing conversation with your marketing team or agency about the advantages and disadvantages of traditional television advertising vs. digital advertising.

Cost, which is the focus of this article, is only one factor to consider when developing a marketing strategy. Brands with the resources may pursue a marketing mix that includes TV ads and digital video ads. Whatever the circumstances, the cost differential between TV and digital is easy to calculate.

Television Commercial Advertising

The cost of advertising on television is immense. Traditional television commercials cost much more to produce and air than digital video. TV’s three main expenses are 1) scriptwriting and development – hiring a screenwriter to write the script, 2) production – the making of the ad, and 3) airtime – the distribution of the ad.

Ancillary costs include time and effort developing the brand’s message and other miscellaneous expenses related to commercial advertising before production.

Production Costs

The production cost is flexible. Regardless of the budget, a reputable commercial production company should create dynamic television ads with high production value. “Production value” is the art of making professional-level content with limited resources.

• A great writer and production team can turn $1,000 into compelling content with a bit of creative brainstorming. However, if your commercial production goes full of “Hollywood magic,” it will run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Stock footage costs a lot less than special effects. A celebrity spokesperson costs more than the hourly rate for a voice-over actor/actress. Those are just two small creative decisions that impact your budget and production value.
• Production costs are spent in three stages: pre-production, production, and post-production. Pre-production is the creative and administrative work on a commercial before the first day of principal photography. Production is “the shoot,” which should only be as long as needed to get the footage “in the can.” Post-production is the picture and sound editing, voice-over, special effects, motion graphics, music, and the like.
• The bulk of your budget is spent during production, and the most expensive part of production is the above-the-line talent. Above-the-line talent includes writers, actors/actresses, directors, cinematographers, and editors. Below-the-line talent is crew and operators (e.g., camera operators, mic operators, crane operators, etc.
• Depending on the state in which production occurs, TV commercial shoots may require a union cast and crew. If your production is union, your costs are more than if you are in a right-to-work state.
• Commercials run in 15-second, 30-second, or 1-minute timeframes, which may seem to provide the producer-director-editor with options that may reduce the cost. It seems logical that a 15-second spot costs less than a 1-minute spot. It does not. The shooting ratio, or the ratio of footage shot vs. footage used, should be high enough to edit into a 1-minute spot and subsequently into 15-second and 30-second versions, all of which run at different times on different channels.
• Your production costs also vary according to a brand’s ad strategy. A single commercial, even three versions, is less expensive than multiple commercials that have different scripts and messages. However, the overall cost of numerous commercials can be mitigated by simultaneously shooting footage for the various commercials using the same production team and crew.

Distribution Costs

TV commercials are distributed on local, national, or cable television stations. The marketing real estate is called “airtime” and can vary in cost. Factors that influence air time prices are:

• Media market (national vs. local).
• Size of the audience (broad vs. targeted).
• Time of day (day time vs. prime time vs. late night).
• Day (week vs. weekend).
• Nielsen ratings (popular shows vs. less popular shows).
• Length (15-second, 30-second, 1 minute).
• Repetitive broadcasting (length and frequency an ad airs).
• Availability (In 2019, the average ad time per hour of primetime national TV on five major cable network groups was 14.32 minutes – 17.49 minutes).

For example, a 1-minute national commercial that airs multiple times during “prime time” on a network’s peak day and the most popular show may cost millions of dollars. Still, a 30-second commercial that airs late at night on a local niche cable channel and targets a specific demographic or zip code can be economical.

A savvy ad buyer knows America’s 210 media markets and broadcast stations. He or she buys air time in the right market at the right time to reach the audience with the highest probability to connect with a brand and buy its product.

With the one legendary exception of Apple’s “1984” commercial during the 1984 Super Bowl, commercials are not produced to air once. Advertising packages that may include multiple air times, days, channels, lengths, and duration.

• The average cost of airing a national TV commercial: $115,000. (Statista)
• The average cost of airing a local TV commercial: $5-$10 per 1,000 views. (Skyworks Marketing)
• The average cost of airing 30-second commercials during the 2020 Super Bowl: $5-5.6 million

Digital Video Advertising

In 2016, online advertising outspent traditional television advertising for the first time, a trend that continues to this day. Marketing budgets now favor online digital channels such as YouTube, Facebook, Google, Instagram, and TikTok over TV.

Of that increase, online video advertising is the fastest-growing segment of a brand’s marketing mix. Digital video’s demonstrable ROI far outpaces other forms of digital advertising and traditional media.

Digital video is so effective and competitive that new forms of digital video advertising evolve at a rapid pace to meet demand and buck the competition. For example, “explainer” videos, which a brand can use to introduce a product and guide buyers through its setup and use.

According to Pitchy.com, the average cost for a digital marketing campaign is $4,000 – $8,000, a range which includes the content creators, social media managers, paid advertising costs on various digital platforms (e.g., Facebook Video Ads/Instagram Ads, Google AdWords, YouTube, Twitter), and data analytics.

It does not include video production costs, which can vary depending on the creative concept and budget.

A digital video goes through the same production process as a TV commercial. However, the unique nature of the world wide web has cost advantages and disadvantages. Many factors drive up digital video advertising production and distribution costs:

• Television has a finite amount of air time. Digital advertising has unlimited time and space, which can be a liability. In a crowded marketplace, it’s more challenging to stand out.
• New content must be produced and distributed on a more frequent basis.
• One size does not fit all. Social networks have their language and culture as well as their own online marketing rules and regulations. To be effective, one must develop content customized for each channel.
• Social media channels operate 24/7, and marketers must be agile and ready to tackle PR issues that may arise and affect a brand’s reputation.

A specific digital video ad campaign may be less expensive to produce and distribute, but digital video content’s life cycle and maintenance go way beyond a TV ad.

Content lives online forever, which is great for SEO but may conflict with a brand’s shifting priorities. Therefore, over time the actual cost of an “inexpensive” digital video ad may be greater than an “expensive” TV ad that runs for a limited time.

Distribution Costs

The cost of digital video ad distribution is much lower than television advertising. While the production and initial distribution costs can be the same as a TV ad, the global, in-depth reach of digital advertising gives a brand way more bang for its buck than TV.

On television, there is only so much information you can deliver in 15-seconds to 1-minute. A brand must stick to a central message and create original, memorable content to impact potential customers in a way that converts to sales or increases brand awareness, ideally both.

The success of TV advertising is beyond question if applied in today’s marketing landscape with informed media acumen. However, it will always have limitations that digital video ads do not have.

Digital video ads are also standard 15-second, 30-second, 1-minute lengths. However, unlike TV ads, they are part of a more extensive advertising web of content that works in harmony to expand reach and micro-target messaging.

A digital video ad may be more effective because it can direct viewers to a website or promote a call to action that increases the probability of a sale. A digital video can reinforce a brand’s message and connect with viewers when it runs alongside a digital still ad promoting the same product or service.

Prices on popular streaming services vary, but the examples below provide a glimpse into the pricing.

• YouTube: $10-$30 per 1,000 views. Average cost of 100,000 views is $2,000. (YouTube)
• Hulu: $20-$40 per 1,000 views. (Hulu)

Conclusion

The cost of TV ads vs. online video ads is not competitive. Though ranges vary and low-budget ad campaigns executed by professionals can be very effective regardless of medium, traditional television advertising costs are higher than digital video advertising.

Production and distribution expenses are not the entire story and should not be the sole factor a brand considers when determining what type of marketing mix provides the most significant ROI and achieves its sales goal.

Studies confirm that the most effective advertising is branded content with advanced storytelling, a strategic combination of traditional TV advertising and online digital channels.

The future of advertising has been digital video for so long it is safe to say the future has arrived. Significant indisputable data proves the rise and dominance of digital video advertising isn’t a trend but the new cornerstone of any compelling marketing mix.

Five reasons video ads are the future of advertising:

1. People like video ads.
2. Reach.
3. Measurable analytics.
4. Options.
5. Video is the perfect vehicle for emerging marketing trends.

People Like Video Ads

Online marketers know that digital video has demonstrable positive ROI because prospects engage at higher rates with video than any other medium. Video elevates the user experience. Statistics, surveys, and studies continue to validate the power of video marketing and the online digital landscape in which it lives:

• 85% of people feel more connected to a brand through video. (Renderforest)
• 69% of people prefer video over text when learning about a product or service. (SmallBizGenius)
• Video ads are the primary way prospects discover a new brand. (Renderforest)
• Online video’s global popularity continues to increase. By the end of 2021, Zenith Media predicts the average person will watch 100 minutes of online video per day. That equals twenty-five days of watching online videos. (Zenith Media)
• People watch four billion YouTube videos a day.
• 81% of people prefer video content on social media. (Renderforest)
• TikTok has 689 million active users. (DataReportal)
• Marketers’ ad spends on video have steadily increased and will continue to do so. (Wyzol)
• One-third of consumers purchase a product after seeing an effective video ad.
• Businesses reported video ads increased conversion rates by 31%, sales by 34%, website traffic by 51%, and brand awareness by 70%. (Renderforest)

The list of statistics that support video as king of the digital marketing domain could go on for another ten pages. The more ubiquitous online digital video becomes, the more it becomes a regular familiar feature of a prospect’s virtual world.

For example, it is hard to imagine an online search for a recipe that does not include an instructional video on preparing it. The recipe video is now standard, increasing a brand’s marketing real estate. For example, the brand can be The Food Network, which created and posted the video on their recipe page, or a kitchen knife company that runs a 30-second ad before the instructional video begins.

The result is a more significant number of people who see your video ad and an elevated customer experience that increases retention and brand loyalty.

Reach

The universe is infinite, and so is the world wide web.

Digital video has a reach hitherto unknown in the epic history of global communication. Like the spokes of Rome’s Via Appia stretching out to connect the furthest corners of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the internet has increased the number of people a message can reach in a transformative way.

Advertising channels optimized for video dominate the internet.

• A brand or business’s website.
• Video-friendly social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. A brand is likely to have a presence on multiple social media platforms, giving their videos a direct connection to their customers.
• Video creation and sharing platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok.
• Audio streaming platforms like Spotify and Pandora.

Other factors that increase digital video’s reach include:

• Content sharing. The digital age’s word of mouth is content sharing. When people like a video, they share it with their friends. For example, almost 1,000 videos are shared on Twitter every day. That costs the brand $0. Each time a video is shared, the ad’s ROI increases.
• Mobile advertising. People watch more videos on their phones than anywhere else, including tablets. Video ads optimized for smartphones create another opportunity for brands to reach their target audience. Nationwide 5G networks will accelerate mobile use.
• Email marketing videos. Direct email marketing is an effective way to connect with customers and drive action. The introduction of video into email marketing is new. However, 44% of people surveyed responded that they would view a video ad included in an email.
• Hyperlinked video ads. Hyperlinking video ads to post-click landing pages gives marketers a boomerang effect. The digital ad pushes across multiple online marketing channels. Still, with one click, the brand can direct prospects to a personalized web page designed to convert views/clicks to sales or some other desired action.
• Search Engine Optimization. The algorithms used by the major search engines favor video. A business website that includes video has a higher search ranking and leads potential customers to spend more time on their website. Win-win.

Measurable Analytics

In 1946, The Ford Motor Company hired ten World War II Air Force veterans called The Whiz Kids to apply military “operations research” and “management science” to its business. The Whiz Kids transformed Ford’s Planning Department into the first full-time private data science center.

The analytics research the department conducted resulted in, among other things, the design and manufacture of cars with safety features that made the death rate from auto accidents plummet.

The automated real-time data analytics at the modern digital marketer’s fingertips is beyond The Whiz Kids’ wildest dreams. Every online advertising platform offers advanced marketing analytics to track results like Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, etc.

Digital video benefits from these tools because the data supports its preeminence. Numbers tell a story, and digital video’s story is one of absolute supremacy. Almost 90% of digital marketers are happy with the ROI their video ad campaigns generate.

Options

Not all digital video ad campaigns are created equal.

There are so many types of digital videos that the options may seem overwhelming. Like an all-you-can-eat-buffet, there is something for everyone:

• Brand marketing videos
• Explainer videos.
• Corporate videos.
• Educational videos.
• Animated videos.
• 15-second videos.
• 30-second videos.
• 1-minute videos.
• Long-form videos.
• Logo animation.
• Entertaining
• Stories
• Reels
• Carousel ads
• Video discovery ads
• Bumper ads
• Masthead ads
• Collection ads
• Instant Experiences

The list goes on. Digital video’s flexibility and customization allow marketers to create the perfect type of ad that’s the ideal length for a specific audience on a particular channel. The number of creative options and video formats a brand can choose to advance its message is one of the primary behind-the-scenes benefits of video marketing.

The hypercompetitive online marketing world is ever-evolving. Marketers invent new types of videos to stay one step ahead of competitors and the marketplace.

Digital Video is the Perfect Vehicle for Emerging Marketing Trends

The future of advertising has many facets, only one of which is video. However, video is a medium that can leverage the full potential of significant emerging marketing trends.

The future of video advertising will incorporate storization, personalization, branded programmatic advertising, and psychological marketing, rolled into one mega term yet to be coined. Integration as content strategy aligns with an overall move toward marketing techniques that produce a positive emotional response with the viewer.

The idea is that marketing efforts that create lifelong loyal customers are a more noble and cost-effective use of advertising dollars than a quick one-time sales conversion.

Video with great storytelling that conveys a relatable message is ideal for advancing digital advertising devices designed to form a long-term emotional bond with the customer.

Conclusion

The digital video wars have just begun. Video as a marketing kingmaker is a foregone conclusion, yet its future is more powerful and complex than previously predicted. Competition to produce video stories that resonate with viewers and allow a brand to stand out is intense, leading to innovation and heightened out-of-the-box creativity that benefits businesses and consumers alike.

The linguistic history of “brainstorm” is brief but worth noting. A noun (brainstorm), an adjective (of or related to brainstorming), and a verb (to conduct or practice brainstorming”), “brainstorm” originated in the 1890s and was defined as “a transitory disturbance of cerebral activity,” and, “a sudden mental aberration.”

Since brainstorming has evolved to mean “a conference technique of solving specific problems, amassing information, stimulating creative thinking, developing new ideas, etc., by unrestrained and spontaneous participation in discussion.”

If you’ve ever participated in a creative brainstorming session, you may believe the original definition of brainstorming is more accurate than our more modern one. Having a storm in your brain does not sound like a good thing and our reflex to apply the scientific method to every subjective endeavor is not unlike trying to lasso a tornado.

Brainstorming is our attempt to structure what was once considered mental aberrations but is now considered great ideas that could go viral.

Step 1: The Pitch Sheet

The first step to take an idea from concept to reality is to write a logline. The material goal of your brainstorming sessions is to produce a pitch sheet that guides the entire production of your company video.

A logline is a sentence that tells your entire story. Writing a logline is difficult, but the process of writing and re-writing it serves a critical purpose. A well-conceived logline provides a common starting point for the creative team and, to continue with the storm motif, is the lasso you use to reign in an otherwise uncontrollable force.

It seems counterintuitive to brainstorm about a single sentence, but once you have the perfect logline, the result is more creative space for your team to operate. Here are three examples of loglines from classic feature films:

• “The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.” (The Godfather)
• “During the early days of World War II, a cynical American expatriate struggles to decide whether or not he should help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape unoccupied French Morocco before the NAZIs capture them.” (Casablanca)
• “A young man is transported to the past, where he must reunite his parents before he and his future cease to exist.” (Back to the Future)

Here is a logline for Apple’s “1984” Super Bowl commercial:

• “An individualist free-thinking Olympic athlete runs through a dystopic, conformist, state-controlled future of George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984” and liberates the world’s creative forces with the introduction of the Macintosh personal computer.”

Here is a digital marketing logline for an animated “explainer video” that highlights a brand’s charitable foundation that promotes a set of values, not a product.

• “A suburban husband and wife make a wrong turn in their car and take a journey through underserved parts of their town, learning empathy for their neighbors and collective responsibility for lifting struggling local communities.”

It may take an entire brainstorming session or two to hone your logline. Be patient. Everything that follows is dependent on getting your logline right.

Step 2: The Facilitator

Someone must organize and steer the chaos. Brainstorming sessions are a free-flow exchange of ideas, but it is much more difficult to capture and transform those ideas without a team leader to chair the meeting and facilitate the creative process.

The Facilitator should be the person with the temperament most suited to the task, not necessarily whoever is the highest on the org chart. The Facilitator is not making decisions about the creative content. They keep a cumbersome collaborative process moving. It is easy to spend too much time on bad ideas that end up a waste of time. Keep the creative juices flowing and avoid awkward silence.

The Facilitator may also have the common brainstorming challenge of leading virtual brainstorming sessions with virtual teams. A virtual brainstorming session flows differently than teams that brainstorm in person.

The Facilitator needs to be adept at a range of disciplines to pull it off. It is difficult to gauge whether a remote team is communicating the right way to produce actionable ideas. Mitigate issues with a greater focus on team bonding and research any virtual brainstorming tools that may be right for your circumstances.

Step 3: Recorder

The most skilled communicator on your marketing team should be assigned the role of Recorder. Documenting what occurs during a brainstorming session is more complex than taking minutes at a quarterly board meeting. To track and connect creative ideas takes diligence and three-dimensional thinking.

Ideas that gain momentum early on may be scrapped by the end of the day. A word or phrase tossed out and dismissed may return and become the cornerstone of your video. If you aren’t tracking a list of ideas with notes (e.g., wild ideas, brilliant ideas, unusual ideas, etc.), you may not have the most successful brainstorming session you can.

Along with the Facilitator, the Recorder keeps things moving. Visibility is the best way to keep team members connected. If the Recorder writes the big ideas with the most traction on whiteboards or giant post-its, the creative team sees concepts and themes take shape, or conversely, why a particular line of thinking does not accomplish the desired messaging.

If your team has access to a smartboard, there are many creative brainstorming tools online to help document creative ideas.

Step 4: Check Your Ego at the Door

If you want to decide everything and make everything the way you want, make a billion dollars. If you’re going to make a compelling marketing video that exceeds client expectations, you must work inside a collaborative framework. Not every idea is going to work, and some of those non-starter ideas may be yours.

The benefits of team brainstorming outweigh the results when one person brainstorms. Your average person may have innovative ideas and creative solutions that only a group setting that fosters effective brainstorming techniques can draw out. Creative video ideas – fresh ideas – come from a storm, yes, a storm of ideas.

Do not skim over this step with a perfunctory “yeah, yeah, yeah.” Interpersonal conflict during the brainstorming process can be a poisonous pill and doom your end product. When people argue about ideas, some may take criticism personally, and the creative process balkanizes.

Or two competing ideas have strong support. In which direction should the campaign go? In the best interests of the group’s mission, the Facilitator should establish rules of civility and ensure that the creative team works in harmony toward a shared vision.

Step 5: Equal time

Video production is top-down like a military dictatorship. Brainstorming activities should be the opposite.  Give equal time and measured consideration to each team member’s ideas. Lightning strikes when you least expect it. When your entire team floats and considers a wide range of opinions, your story will be better.

You want your creative team to share ideas and to focus on the quality of ideas, not the quantity of ideas. A range of viewpoints will improve your message and the story you tell to deliver it.

There are many ways to structure equal time, and no brainstorming exercise is better than the other. Team members can show up with an idea to present. The Facilitator can periodically go around the conference table and allow each person to say what they are thinking (Round-Robin Brainstorming).

Summaries generated and distributed to each team member allotted time to offer their suggestions. It does not matter how you democratize the process, effective brainstorming benefits from enthusiastic participation.

Step 6: Institute a “magic wand” policy

There are so many obstacles and changes any creative campaign will undergo during its life cycle; strive to make initial brainstorming sessions free of restrictions. Ideas should be offered and discussed on the merits of the concept only, not potential limitations in the future like budget or the sudden undiscovered creative genius of your advertising partners.

Save the “You can’t do that because…” for later. There will be plenty of them. Brainstorming sessions are not the time for making bottom-line business decisions. The Muses cannot be caged.

Step 7: Periodically revisit your logline

As creative campaigns evolve, you may need to institute some good old-fashioned corporate change management. Remember, the material goal is to have a pitch sheet with a dynamite logline and synopsis. Once you have the perfect pitch sheet, your campaign can enter the production phase by hiring a professional screenwriter. Until then, continue to revisit and revise your logline and synopsis.

Step 8: Learn to let go

As a collaborative creative team member, you most likely let go of at least one of your favorite ideas during brainstorming. Your co-workers did too. When the brainstorming sessions are over, and you’ve decided upon a direction, the marketing team must turn the reins over to other skilled professionals who will put their creative stamp on the project.

Any artist will tell you their work is like a child. Sending that child off into the world isn’t easy. You must believe that the next wave of artisans will love your story as much as you do and take good care of it. A simple leap of faith sounds easy until you hear the universally loved funny moment your team spent a week crafting, ended up on the editing room floor. Let it go.

Conclusion

Digital video advertising is the crown jewel in the marketing crown, providing outstanding and measurable ROI. Video email marketing and explainer videos are two examples of how digital video reinvents itself to take advantage of the medium’s excellent results.

The video process starts with your creative team tackling the basic building blocks of storytelling – a compelling logline and synopsis. Through effective brainstorming, a brand’s message can begin its remarkable creative journey from concept to going live.

“There is only one kind of story: a hero’s story.”  – Joseph Campbell

Storytelling is essential to your video because the most effective way to communicate your message has been pre-determined for thousands of years. From the moment King Gilgamesh slays the serpent in the goddess Inanna’s Huluppu tree in the ancient Sumerian poem, “Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld,” the hero’s journey has been the blueprint for every story to this day.

So whether it’s the “Epic of Gilgamesh” or an animated explainer video, storytelling is what makes the message memorable and effective.

Joseph Campbell’s “A Hero with a Thousand Faces” is the unofficial bible of professional storytellers. In this seminal work, Campbell lays out his theory of the “monomyth,” a storytelling structure shared by ancient myths from different places and cultures worldwide.

Campbell argued that the secret symbolic language in our myths, or stories, is a part of what makes us human, and we are hardwired to make sense of ourselves and the world in which we live by tapping into “the hero’s journey.”

The hero’s journey is a pattern modern writers call “the rule of three,” or telling a story in three acts. If you’re shooting an epic feature film or a thirty-second spot for YouTube, your script will be three acts. Campbell’s three acts are The Separation (Beginning), The Initiation (Middle), and The Return (End).

As the hero moves through the narrative arc, they experience seventeen stages that complete the journey. It is unnecessary to explain the seventeen stages for our purposes, only that the same seventeen stages are in every story.

The Customer is the Hero

In your video storytelling, the hero is your customer, and their journey is to discover your product, service, cause, or organization. The hero must always be your customer, not your brand. Your brand takes the active role as mentor or guide, a critical character in the hero’s journey to freedom.

To know your hero’s journey, you must know your customer. If you’ve done your research, you have a demographic and psychological profile of your customer, but those are still only first impressions. Only storytelling can take that raw data and create a memorable character that connects with customer experience.

The hero’s journey in video content must happen in 15-seconds to 1 minute. In addition, the storytelling must be precise to be effective. To that end, Separation, Initiation, and Return can be funneled through two standard plot lines, Slaying the Monster and The Quest, which are popular video storytelling techniques.

Once again, our modern techniques derive from the “Epic of Gilgamesh.” Gilgamesh and Enkidu go on a quest for glory and slay multiple monsters. Then, after The Gods kill Enkidu for slaying one of the monsters (The Bull of Heaven for those keeping score), Gilgamesh goes on a quest for eternal life.

Slaying the Monster

Defeating some monster is the most common plotline your video can have. But, do not confuse “most common” with “unoriginal.” The viewer does not see the archetypal quest to slay the monster, but it is the symbolic story told. In this story, the regular life of your hero, your customer, has been disrupted by a problem they can’t solve.

This problem separates your customer from the people they love or things they love to do. However, supernatural aid in the form of a brand’s product or service. The product or service solves their problem, reunites them with their loves, and changes their life for the better.

Allstate Insurance’s Hero vs. Mayhem commercials is a masterclass in slaying the monster. Your hero, who is your customer, has a significant problem. A fast-talking and hilarious villain named Mayhem, who wreaks havoc in crazy entertaining ways, disrupts their otherwise peaceful life.

Your hero protects their family with Allstate Allstate insurance, which gives him freedom from the financial burdens of unforeseen disasters.

The Quest

In this plotline, the hero goes on a quest. King Arthur and his knights go on the Quest for the Holy Grail. Your hero, who is your customer, also goes on a search for a Holy Grail in your video. Your product or service acts as a guide to that grail, which can be anything depending on your line of business.

An even more nuanced way of telling a quest story is to make the hero’s journey about meta-themes that express values instead of a specific product. For example, the hero goes on a quest for a healthy lifestyle, not to buy a particular pair of shoes.

The Quest is in every car commercial. The hero, who is your customer, goes on a journey in a car to find the holy grail of speed, freedom, and, for lack of a better term, sex appeal. The vehicle allows the hero to attain the lifestyle they have always wanted.

Conclusion

Excellent videos are powerful marketing tools that connect with potential customers on an emotional level. Digital video is the current unchallenged king of content marketing. Visual stories have high conversion rates traced to storytelling’s emotional impact on the viewer.

Storytelling video that sticks to the blueprint and makes the average person a hero is a winning marketing strategy.

The answer to the question, “Should we produce our brand’s video in-house?” is always a resounding “No!”

In the digital age, everyone is Steven Spielberg. Kids with smartphones and ring lights develop global social media followings and become their brand in thirty-second bursts. Videos, whether produced and stylized or candid and raw, go viral, and for a flash and a bang, the subjects have the attention of the world. Making a stand-out buzz-generating video seems so easy and economical.

Producing a high-quality video “in-house” is not easy or economical, and “in-house” is a euphemism for Do It Yourself (DIY), which is a great way to go if you’re into arts & crafts but a terrible direction if you’re producing a video. Film/video production is a complex creative and technical discipline that requires advanced levels of expertise to do in a way that delivers positive ROI and drives sales and elevates brand awareness.

Consider that even big Hollywood movies with big budgets that employ the best above and below-the-line talent money can buy do re-shoots because one of the thousand things that must go right before, during, and after the camera rolls went wrong. And if you don’t know what above-the-line and below-the-line talent mean, your production won’t make it five feet past the starting gate before it has to be put down.

Before producing a video “in-house,” brands should consider the following five questions.

1. Do you know what a producer does?

A producer is an actual job title. Hollywood producers have their guild and everything. If you plan to produce a DIY video, knowledge of a producer’s job duties is an excellent place to start. It is an easy description. Clear your calendar because a producer does everything.

Making a video is like putting together a round puzzle with 1,000 pieces that are the same color – it is difficult, time-consuming, frustrating, challenging, and rewarding. Still, if even one piece is missing, you don’t get the whole picture. A producer is in charge of every element of the puzzle – from script development to distribution.

Any video project is made in three stages: pre-production, production, post-production. The producer oversees each stage of the video production process. A producer, simplified:

• Pre-production: creates a budget, develops script from concept to final draft, hires scriptwriter(s), hires director, cast, and other above-line talent, hires production crew, and manages all matters related to the video before shooting.
• Production: “the shoot” is the director’s domain, yet the producer ensures production is on time and budget, reviews daily footage, and is the final authority on-set production-related matters.
• Post-Production: oversees the editing, delivery of the final product, and distribution.

During these three phases, the producer is also in charge of human relations, many fragile (ever work with an actor or actress before?), and disaster management. Every production has at least one disaster.

If a brand moves forward with making its video, somebody, or a group of people, must be in charge of everything a producer would generally do. Therefore, companies should do an honest and realistic assessment of the time and effort required to produce a video in-house and the unique, often unforeseen challenges it poses and weigh them against the current needs of its business.

Considerable creative, technical, and administrative resources are needed to create compelling branded video content. Producing in-house means existing staff will be pulled from their day-to-day duties for the duration of the production.

Making professional-quality videos is not something a junior staffer can orchestrate on his or her lunch break. A full-time dedicated production group is needed to shepherd a video marketing campaign from concept to screening.

Producing in-house may save a few dollars on the balance sheet, but it is a mirage. Lost productivity from re-assigned staff and an end product that looks and sounds like novices slapped it together leaves your brand with at best a marginal video and, at worst, unusable content that is a complete financial loss.

2. Do you know how to create a film/TV budget?

Any time a motion picture camera rolls, whether digital video or IMAX, a unique visual language is spoken embedded with a dramatic code as ancient as human civilization. That language costs money and lots of it, and to unlock the code requires trucks full of special video equipment, audio equipment, lighting, and editing equipment.

If you don’t speak the language, how are you going to create a budget? If you don’t know what a piece of equipment does or how to use it, how will you know the actual equipment cost or need it? A production budget requires specialized knowledge of video production costs.

Lots of Hollywood Math goes into a production budget too. For example, you may budget $5,000 for the art department. The art department is full of people with advanced degrees in art history, and they know how to do whatever it is you want for $4,000. The crew will spend the extra $1,000 on a wrap party at the closest tequila bar. That’s Hollywood Math.

Here’s another one. Crafts Services. Second, only to the director, craft services may be the line item in the budget most responsible for the success/failure of a shoot. Craft services are the entertainment industry’s term for “eating.” The word “craft” did not spring out of nowhere.

It should indicate an expectation that food preparation during the shoot is a highly specialized skill, and the budget should reflect that. Even if you have a low budget, especially if you are on a low budget, this is not the area to skimp. Take care of your cast and crew on a shoot, or your production will face a mutiny.

Your company may have an entire department full of talented financial professionals who whip up quarterly and annual budgets in their sleep. Still, if directed to handle the finances for video production, the learning curve may be much steeper than you realize.

Producers know how to speak “production,” and seasoned Production Managers are well versed in the tricks of the trade, like the fact your wardrobe head will return 75% of what they purchase, which means your production will have a well-informed budget based on reality.

3. Do you know how to write a script?

You don’t, and you can’t learn it online. The script is a blueprint. Without a blueprint and sound structural engineering, your building will collapse. Without a script and sound story structure, a story will collapse.

Branding is storytelling. A brand’s message must be on the page. A professional screenwriter knows overall story structure, tone, pacing, dialogue as theme, set-ups and payoffs, when all-hope-is-lost, and how to rally the hero to victory during the final battle.

Don’t fall into the trap that the 30-second video you’re going to run on YouTube is different from Titanic. It’s not. Everything you see in Titanic is in the script, and everything you see in your video should be in the script too.

Do you know how to turn a script into a shooting script, so the cast and crew know what they’re doing or distribute last-minute on-set script revisions? Script continuity? The life cycle of a hand doesn’t end when the writer types, “THE END.” As words become footage, the script enters a vital production phase that only people who understand the intricacies of the transition can manage.

4. Do you know how to direct a movie?

It is impossible to produce a great video from a bad script, but it is possible to take a great script and make a wrong video. It is a statistical fact based on box office sales that no one is more responsible for the success or failure of a feature film than its director.

The director is in charge of putting what’s on the page onto the stage. The director has the creative vision to translate words to film and draw out the best performances from the cast and crew.

A skilled director knows how to shoot any type of video – live-action video, corporate training video, explainer video, business videos, animated videos, online video, etc. He or she knows how to use a green screen and, like the producer, is a pro at disaster management.

Creative disasters may include cast conflicts, equipment failures, inclement weather, or some random variable that impacts your most important shot. With all due respect to your marketing team, the ultimate goal is to produce the type of content that will knock people’s socks off, and the director is the only person who can make that happen.

5. Do you know the basic principles of video and sound editing?

Your raw video is not a video until skilled artisans called video editors to study every take and assemble a powerful visual story with a solid emotional impact with your brand at its center. The editing process is grueling and requires advanced knowledge of video editing and video editing software.

From a technical perspective, sound and video editing must be seamless, or the overall production will be cheap, campy, and ineffective. Your video marketing strategy will fail if the viewer can’t hear because of background noise or choppy editing.

The post-production team also includes professionals who create special effects, sound effects, graphics & motion graphics, and music that helps your video increase viewer engagement and brand awareness. Failings in any of these areas will sink your message. 

Conclusion

A video’s production value is not determined by its budget or other resources (e.g., celebrity spokesperson) but by professional staff who know the trade tricks to create media magic.

It does not matter how great your concept or tagline is or if you have $1 million to spend on a commercial running during the Super Bowl. If you don’t have the right video production team, your investment may be in jeopardy.

If you decide to produce your brand’s video with an in-house team, consider the enormous creative, technical, and administrative talent needed at every production stage to ensure a successful shoot.

Hiring a video production company that offers the full range of video production services mitigates the many creative and financial risks involved in creating video content guarantees professional-grade technical proficiency, all of which allow your brand’s message to shine through.

What is content marketing?

“Content is king.” Marketing 101, right? But precisely what does that mean? It means content marketing is at the center of any most successful digital marketing campaign. Stated simply, content marketing is essential, and it means getting valuable and relevant content to the right audience at the right time. The goal is to deliver this consistently to attract and engage your target audience, ultimately driving sales. Content marketing is a marketing strategy for creating, publishing, and distributing content to your target audience.

Good content must be based on a strategy and not random posts and information. You should be clear on your goals and how the right content can help you reach those goals.

The most crucial aspect of your content is that it must bring value to your target audience. Before going to market, you should spend time drilling down on your best target audience. Who are they? What are their needs and interests? What kind of questions can you answer for them, and how does your service or product serve them and meet their needs. This will guide you in determining the best content to provide to help, entertain, or educate them and the best manner to deliver your content.

Remember, you are focusing on providing relevant content that is useful and relevant to your prospects and will help them address their specific pain points.

Remember, loyal customers are your business’s lifeblood, and content marketing is your most powerful tool in bringing them value on an ongoing basis.

Why is content marketing important?

Content marketing helps you build your brand online by bringing users content in many forms that will bring value and encourage the viewer to trust and like you and your products. It is a way to help your audience before they are at the purchase point and after they have purchased.

• Content marketing supports your business goals by building brand trust. It will help build your brand reputation and footprint.
• Optimized content helps with organic search (SEO). When you create expert-level content that answers questions, it will help you with your organic search ranking, and with consistency, this will build over time. Remember, this is FREE traffic.
• Good content will help generate backlinks as well as traffic. People share helpful, clever, or interesting content. This can quickly grow your audience and build the authority of your website.
• Content marketing will help your audience through all customer journey stages – awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty, and advocacy.
• Content marketing that is produced consistently will give your target audience a reason to return to your site again and again.
• Content marketing is one of the best ways to support all of your digital efforts.

What are some types of content marketing?

There are many ways to deliver your content, and understanding your target audience, their behavior, and where they hang will help you determine the best place to be. In most cases, people will have a primary platform for publishing their content and then syndicate it out in other platforms and formats. Finding the right mix of platform and medium for you and your brand is both art and science.

Anything you create that is not a pure sales message is content. Here are some types of content marketing.

• Blog content marketing: This is where most of the content lives. Blog posts are used by 73% of markets, and businesses that use blogs also get double the links to their website and have 434 percent more indexed pages for the SERPs. So blogging is a cost-effective “must” for most businesses. Blogging about topics that your target wants and needs is much more effective than blogging overtly about your products or services. Once your reader knows you as an industry expert, they will want to come to you for your products.
• Podcast content marketing: A well-produced podcast can be beneficial and does not have to be complicated to produce. A podcast can have a considerable reach and be a great way to reveal some of your personality and brand voice. Planning is essential, and a podcast must still focus on relevance and value. You can use a podcast network to get it out but then also incorporate it into your website. Integrated messaging is the best way to get the most from your content. It is also easy to slice and edit a podcast to create a wealth of evergreen content. Podcasts are used by 57% of marketers.
• Video content marketing: Videos are extremely popular right now, and more and more brands are turning to video to rise above their competition and showcase their brand. Videos are used by 54% of marketers. Video marketing can be expensive but can also be made on a budget. Your video must be well-produced and very clear in its goal and purpose. The tone and style must resonate with your target audience and be consistent with your website and branding on all platforms. A video can be used to showcase your brand personality, demonstrate how to do something, or how something works. It can also provide a “behind the scenes” look at your brand and your company or show your potential customers how your brand suits them. This content can be used on your website, social media platforms, or even email campaigns. People love videos!
• Social media content marketing: Each social media platform has its own set of rules and target users. But what all social media platforms have in common is they demand immediacy and engagement from the audience. We are looking for the likes, the shares, and the comments. It is simple to repurpose the content you are creating elsewhere for social media platforms. The analytics are a great way to learn what your audience prefers, i.e., video, blog, certain content subjects, etc. You will know precisely what kind of traffic you are driving.

There are many other content marketing forms, including infographics, e-books, e-courses, case studies, testimonials, checklists, memes, email marketing, and more. Start with customers and let them tell you what resonates with them.

What are the top tips for creating good content?

• The number one tip for creating great content is to know your audience’s needs and wants inside and out. This knowledge will help you translate that into the right content in the correct format on the best platforms and at the perfect time.
• Publish only polished and relevant content.
• Be consistent in your publishing in terms of frequency and quality.
• Target specific keywords with your content.
• Analyze all content across all platforms and test, test test. This information will ensure your content performs as well as it can.
• Be sure your content marketing is based on a strategy that fits your target audience. Good content can’t be random.

What are some content marketing tools to use?

Some of the tools you will want in your arsenal might be:

• A tool like Buzzsumo or Ahref’s will help you evaluate trending topics relevant to your audience. You’ll find insights into what content is being read, shared, and where.
• ClickFunnels is a great tool to help you create sales funnels. Remember the purpose of your content is to push your target audience along through the funnel. It is a simple drag and drop platform and has lots of great templates to get you started and lots of other features like email integrations and A/B testing.
• Canva is a simple design tool that you can learn to use in a very short time to create fantastic imagery. Using great images or infographics is the quickest way to get those clicks. Canva has lots of prebuilt templates with layouts to suit all the major platforms and social media.
• SEMRush is a top marketing toolkit that will give you the keyword information and competitive insights and identify great keywords that your competition may not use.
• You will want an email platform. There are many email marketing services out there with varying prices and features. Mailchimp is a basic but free service to try out.
• Grammarly is a great tool to correct your spelling and grammar before you push “publish.”

The importance of a good content marketing strategy can’t be stressed enough and is unlikely to be diminished anytime soon. If you don’t have the right resources to execute this professionally and consistently talk to a full-service video and digital agency like C&I Studios.

What is TikTok?

TikTok is taking the digital and advertising world by storm. With more than 500 million users worldwide, it is more popular than Twitter and Snapchat yet still has fewer ads. So it represents a great advertising opportunity for the right brands and products. It is a visual app that allows users to edit and share 15-second videos using an array of effects, filters, and music. Although TikTok is cutting edge, and many marketers are adding it to their digital strategy, it is not for every demographic or product. You must assess whether it is a fit for your brand before digging into the how and why.

Is a TikTok campaign right for me?

To create an effective advertising campaign, always begin with a great understanding of your target demographic – the more targeted, the better. That target must be aligned with the demographic of the platform you’re considering. For example, Facebook will resonate with an older crowd and largely be ignored by the younger demos. Approximately 66% of TikTok users are younger than 30 years old, while 41% are aged 16-24. So clearly, this is a platform for a youthful target. Some examples of the trending videos are those relating to school or homework. But remember, the audiences of platforms do develop and change. Consider Facebook. So if it is not a fit right now, you may want to learn about TikTok to stay current and monitor to see when it may evolve into a better fit. Large companies like Nike and Disney have dedicated huge budgets to TikTok.

Is a TikTok campaign expensive?

TikTok campaigns can be costly. Ads are still relatively new on the platform and are at a premium cost, starting at an average of $10 per CPM, and more extensive campaigns may carry a budget of up to $300K. TikTok campaigns have a minimum investment of $500, so this is not the fit for someone seeking affordable options with very predictable results. It is just too new, and still in beta.

Here are some ad type costs examples from 2019.

• Infeed video – $25,000 minimum with $30,000 daily maximum
• VAriable based on influencer and campaign types – $600 to $1000.

How do I sign up for TikTok ads?

If you decide that TikTok is right for you, here’s how to get started. Visit the TikTok Ads home page and click on the “Create an Ad” button. This process can’t yet be fully accomplished online since they are still in development. A form will pop up asking for the details needed to set up your account. Once you have submitted this information, you will hear from a representative who will help you complete it. The rest is pretty simple. Here are the steps to follow

• In the TikTok Ads Dashboard, click on the Campaign tab at the top and then click on Create.
• Choose your campaign objective or the primary goal of your campaign. The three options are Traffic, Conversions, and App Install. (More about setting goals below)
• Select Daily Budget or Total Budget under settings to set your budget. Again, both your daily and total budget must be at least $500.
• You are now ready to set your ad placements, details, and targeting.
  • Create an ad group
  • There is an option to chose platforms like TikTok, BuzzVideo, or the News Republic. You can set this to auto-placement and leave it to TikTok to decide.
  • The prompts will walk you through the set up of URL’s, images, and categories. You’ll choose from up to 20 keywords to describe your website, which will be used to match your audience.
  • You can create a custom audience if you have a list of existing TokTok ID’s
  • Set your budget and schedule, and you’re started.
  • There is online training to learn more about optimization, audiences, and other helpful topics.

Setting optimization goals for my TikTok campaign.

You set your optimization goal to reflect the key metric you’ll be focusing on. You can optimize for Conversion, click, or Impression.

Selecting Conversion as a goal will see that your ad is served to those most likely to convert for your product. Conversion could be downloading your app or submitting a form. You can set up conversion tracking on your landing page using pixels. If you select Click as an option, you will be billed on a CPC basis. If you set Impression as your goal, you will be billed on a CPM basis.

How to design a TikTok ad

TikTok ads can be horizontal, vertical, or square and with images. They have a great tool called Video Creation Kit, which provides templates you can use to customize your images. There are over 300 options for free background music as well.

• They support brand takeovers – meaning an ad will appear instantly when a user opens TikTok. The ad redirects to internal or external links.
• They support in-feed ads – native ads placed at the bottom of organic videos or in the video queue feed. The average $10 per CPM, so they are more affordable than a takeover.
• A final option is a hashtag takeover where you create a sponsored hashtag encouraging users to share content on behalf of your brand for a week or so.

Some specs:

• The recommended aspect ratio is 9:16/1:1/16:0
• A resolution of greater than 720px x 1280px, 640px, or 1280px x 720px.
• A video of 5 to 60 seconds in length, with a recommended length of 9 to 15 seconds.
• A brand name that is 2 to 20 characters in length or an app name that is 4 to 40 characters in length.
• A description of the product or service that is 12 to 100 characters.

And as always, monitor your campaign results. You can monitor this in your Dashboard. Utilize the filters to slice and dice the data, and learn how the ads are performing on all relevant dimensions and metrics. Filters include ad creative, audience demographics, device, and placement.

What is the best TikTok marketing strategy?

Once you have determined your campaign’s goal, there are numerous components you can use when developing your TikTok strategy.

• Challenges or Hashtag Campaigns. This is a great way to build brand awareness and urge users to engage with you. Be sure it is not too difficult or too easy. Allow for creativity with your challengers so they can show their individuality.
• Duet – This allows a performer to interact with his or her audience or have a conversation with them
• Influencers – Influencers can be beneficial in spreading your message to their followers. You must be sure to pick the right influencer to be sure they are aligned with your brand in tone, style, and content.

How to create TikTok ads that convert

The basic tenets of advertising apply to TikTok, of course. This means having absolute clarity on your target audience and being sure they align with the platform demographic. You must also be very clear on your campaign’s goal and what stage in the funnel you are targeting. This will help ensure that you are optimizing for the right goal – clicks, conversions, or visits. Much of this will also depend upon your brand’s maturity and whether this is a new demographic for you.

TikTok best practices and tips

Tiktok provides a TikTok Inspiration section that features various case studies highlighting some very successful campaigns. Please review them carefully. There are some great ideas and are sure to get your creative juices flowing.

Browse TikTok like your target would and use the Discover page to see what is trending. Check out the advertisers using the Hashtag Challenge campaigns.

Use the search box to see top users, videos, sounds, and hashtags related to your business.

Study what other advertisers are doing on the platform. See where you’ll fit in. Even if you are not ready for your TikTok campaign yet, stay updated and relevant, so you’ll know when it is time to join the many advertisers on the growing platform.

Tips to Making a Podcast That Thrives 

Podcasts are becoming more popular every day. There are more than a million active podcasts. Why? Because they make money. Close to a third of Americans listen to a podcast each month. Advertisers have taken notice. Creating a podcast is not that difficult. It’s just a matter of getting anyone to listen! I’m paraphrasing Marc Maron, one of our most popular podcasters. We’re going to share some tips of the trade with you to help you get the right equipment, pick your theme, and find the right audience for your podcast.

Let’s start by getting clear on what a podcast is. Simply stated, it is a spoken form of entertainment, which provides content, commentary, and analysis of many topics and is available over the internet.

You don’t need to be a journalist or a broadcaster to make this format work for you, but you do need to know some basic rules. Read on to learn our tips and tricks to creating a winning podcast.

Podcasting Starter Guide

Podcasting is a great technology and allows anyone with an idea to easily get into the market. Where you take that podcast is on you. While there is no magic bullet for success, there are some tips that can get you started on the right foot.

• You must stick with it and make it fun for yourself. Start by knowing what your intent is from the beginning. Is it storytelling, giving advice, and educating or entertaining?
• You must deliver consistent content, so your audience knows when and what to expect from you. While most podcasts sound “improv” and off the cuff, the most successful podcasters spend many hours before each show planning and researching, writing, recording, and producing the show.
• Look for unique and random content. If you are hosting a guest, find the things we haven’t heard hundreds of times before. Dig deeper for the unexpected.
• Be realistic about your expectations. Keep them modest, as clinging to that “million-dollar idea” is sure to leave you disappointed.
• Listen to, and engage with other people who do podcasts. Learn from them, their content, and their quality and production.

The essential elements needed for podcast success

• Know your topic! Try to talk about things you know well and are passionate about. If you need more info on a particular topic, do the research and get up to speed. The great thing about recording a podcast is that you can cut in and out.
• Understand your audience. Know precisely who you are talking to—the more targeted your audience, the better. You will gain listeners and fans if they think you are talking directly to them about relevant things.
• Know your guests! Before the interview learns as much as you can about your guest. Mispronouncing a guest’s name is a big no. Find everything you can about the guest, and then chat before the show to find out if there are new passions, projects, or ideas that he or she would like to cover. And maybe taboo topics.
• During the podcast, help the guest out. Engage, and roll with where the conversation seems to be going. Try to keep it spontaneous.
• Listen! Master the art of listening- to your guests and your listeners. Solicit input from your listeners. What do they want to hear? What did they enjoy or not enjoy?
• Keep it tight! Listeners tend to drop off the longer podcasts. A good average length is 15 to 30 minutes. Leave them wanting more.

Pro-Tips: How to make a great podcast that thrives

Equipment: No need to blow thousands but get a decent microphone and headset; with a functioning laptop, you are good to go.

Content or Theme: As noted above, pick a theme you are passionate and knowledgeable about. Your interest and experience will shine through and convince people you are worth hearing.

Practice, practice, practice: Keep recording and keep learning and studying the other podcasters and people working on your topic on other platforms. You’ll get there.

SEO: This is a big one. Remember that iTunes and Google Podcasts are search engines. Try to pop in a few keywords in your podcast titles and descriptions to get a boost to your rankings and grow your audience. Keep it sounding organic and not forced.

Find great guests: Let’s face it, even you may get tired of the sound of your own voice. Network, research, do everything you can to find guests that your audience will find helpful and exciting. You may reciprocate by guesting for them. Search for bloggers in your space and reach out to see if they want to guest. Many are happy for the exposure and practice “off the written” page.

How to create killer podcast content

Your listeners tune in each week because you have what they want- content that is engaging, entertaining, or informative, and that consistently speaks directly to them and their needs. These are the listeners who will become your raving fans and help you build your following by sharing, commenting, and talking about you. That means the content is everything.

Here are some tips to keep your content interesting and relevant to your target:

• Your theme must be something you are passionate about. Talking about things that interest you will help you be authentic, and your interest in the topic will be evident and contagious. If you are bored, your listeners will know and will be too.
• Before you start your podcast, you will need a clear idea of your target audience. Many people identify an avatar representing one person who would embody all the qualities of your target- age, sex, geographic location, likes, dislikes, finance, pain points, interests. This will help you be specific and talk to “someone” vs. “everyone.” Your litmus test for content is then -“will this help him? entertain him? educate him? engage him?”
• People love stories. Tell a story that has a beginning, middle, and end. Remember the old story arc with setup, conflict, and resolution? It works. Take your reader on a journey.
• Give them a takeaway. Try to provide a next step that your listener can take as a result of your podcast. Make your podcasts actionable with steps they can take to get the result you talk about. This will keep them coming back.
• Focus! Do the work upfront and outline what you are going to talk about, and stay on track. Keep a loose outline or script to be sure you can stay on topic.
• Engage your listeners by asking questions or soliciting comments. People love a community, and this engagement invites them to meet new “friends” with similar interests.
• Choose your guest carefully. Many pop around the circuit now, but be careful not to have a guest just to add another voice. Your guest must be relevant to your topic and listener. A guest must also be knowledgeable about the issue and bring to the podcast an angle, perspective, or information that you don’t have. Make sure he or she can pull this off in an entertaining manner. Nobody wants to listen to a stiff.
• Perfect your audio. Nothing will sink your credibility and lose your audience faster than poor sounding audio. It distracts and even annoys and screams “amateur.”
• Lots of podcasters forget this next one. Tell your fans where to learn more. If you have a website, send them there. Otherwise, cite relevant videos, blogs, or websites that can add detail for those who want to take a deeper dive.

Don’t I need expensive equipment to make a podcast?

Be sure you have good equipment. Special tools for audio content are microphones, headphones, and audio editing software. No need to create an entire recording studio, but you should have quality equipment. And you will need an excellent hosting service such as SoundCloud, iTunes, Spotify, or YouTube. These are all free.

Are you ready?

You have the basics. Just get starting following these steps:

• Choose your topic
• Decide is you will have a co-host
• Pick a cool but relevant name for your podcast
• Nail down your format, length, and style.
• Get your equipment lines up
• Get going!

Get in on the podcast boom and start sharing your story today!

Boost Your Brand With Video on Social Media

Start using video on social media to boost your brand today! Video has emerged as an integral part of every major social media platform and is the most powerful asset for growing your brand. Video is the format of choice on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook, while Tik Tok is a phenomenon of its own.

Why is video important to your brand?

Think about it. As a consumer, what do you find most consumable? Do you want to read a long block of copy and distill the info, or do you want to see it served up in a quick and creative video, with visuals to accent, illustrate or entertain? According to a recent Forbes Insights on the subject, almost 60% of senior executives are with you.

Stated simply, video is what consumers want. Social media is where people go for entertainment and education now, and in social media, video is king. Not quite convinced that you can boost your brand with video on social media? Let’s drill down a little further.

• There’s a reason you’ll see video content within seconds of logging onto a social media platform. That’s because social media performs the best with most of the algorithms because it captures the visitors’ attention for a longer time. This means the algorithm will boost the content to a broader audience. At the same time, most platforms are giving extra attention and boost to their newest video features. Video will also have a longer shelf life because it encourages more interactions, so it will stay relevant for longer. Keep this in mind when weighing out the investment of making a video. The ROI may ultimately be stronger than other investments.
• Video works across all channels now. According to the State of Online Video 2019 Research Report, in 2019, users spend an average of 6 hours and 48 minutes watching video online. And with COVID-19, the increase continues. This allows for the syndication of one video across many platforms and on your website, making your investment in a quality video an excellent investment and a mandatory asset for your brand.
• If your product and brand target a Gen Z audience, YouTube is your platform. According to a YouTube survey, 50% of millennials and Gen Z said they “couldn’t live” without video in their daily lives.
• Brands are about the promise and the people behind your product. There is no better way to humanize your product and introduce your brand personality and brand ethics than via video. Branding is about connections, and a video is a perfect bridge to your community.

What four types of videos are best to build small business brand recognition?

• Tell your story! People love a story, and the success of many small businesses have at their heart a good story. Create an introductory video that tells why you started your business. Were you solving a need that you experienced, was it to help your community, or was there another reason. Does your business have a non-profit partner that helps define your values or green practices that set you apart? A short 90-second video that tells your story is a great way to connect and get your brand on the map, and consumer solves them.
• Niche authority. Do you specialize in a niche market, making you an expert in a subject that consumers care about? Create content that shares your knowledge to help educate your audience and allow them to view you and your brand as trusted authorities in your area or niche.
• Share the love with your customers. Create a thank you video that shows appreciation for your clients and their loyalty. Let them know they are a part of your success and that you are grateful for the support and trust they place in you. This is one of the best ways to personalize your brand and deepen the connection you have with your customers.
• Let your customers speak for you! Social proof videos are a powerful way to show your potential clients why they can trust you and that your products rock. Let your customers speak for themselves in a social proof video that reflects their satisfaction and their trust in your brand. This is the ideal format for a small business that is building a brand.

Can you create social media video on a budget?

There are many ways to create a compelling social media video without breaking the bank. You may work with a full-service video agency like C&I Studios to manage your project from concept to production and even into promotion, or you may work with them for parts of the process. Even if you’re ready to go full DIY, here are some ideas for controlling video production costs.

• Keep it real! Do a live video. No need for high production or fancy equipment. Some of the most popular videos are made directly from a smartphone. People like the informal connection and feel they are getting to know the brand and its people. Show a behind-the-curtain look at your brand and your people or provide a sneak peek at a new product that’s coming soon. Go live on Facebook and answer questions or demo a new product.
• Let your happy customers speak for you. You’d be surprised at how many of your satisfied customers would love to share a video of themselves showing their satisfaction with the product. We all want our 5 minutes of fame! User-generated content has been shown to be most effective in making someone likely to buy. You can record them on Zoom, record them on-site or ask them to send in their own video.
• ‘This the season. Take advantage of the season to freshen up your message and content. Take advantage of a snowy backdrop or the spring brooks running. Record from your favorite hiking trail. Catch their attention by bringing them into your world.
• Bring your team into the act. Help your customers see what mission and people they are supporting when they support your product. Invite your employees to participate. Some examples: A Q&A with one of your senior employees, behind the scenes tour by one of your employees, or fun videos of your team cutting loose.

It’s time to push through the fear and get your social media video produced. Once you have made your video, be sure to share it with your followers across all of your platforms. The video will have to be curated for specific platforms, but you will have created one of your most important assets, which will boost your brand on social media and your website.

Amazing Tips on How to Shoot a Music Video

Ready to shoot a music video? Music videos are critical for musicians to showcase their music and a great way for dipping your toe in the video production business.  They allow a videographer to tell a story in a punchy and direct way and can allow tremendous creative opportunities for a filmmaker. Read on to learn the basic techniques to shoot a music video and some pro tips to create a fantastic production. Whether you are shooting your own music video or ding it for an artist, there are lots of tips that will help you deliver an amazing music video.

Developing your concept

A strong and compelling concept is critical to every video production. But remember, when making a music video you are creating an expression of the musician as well as your own. They may have a very strong vision of what the song means and how they want the story told.  Collaboration is everything and your concept must be aligned with the song and the artist. Be ready to hear the artist’s vision and ideas, and bring some of your own. Some artists will rely upon your totally to concept the video. Your goal is to elevate the viewer and listener’s experience of the song. Don’t let your creativity get in the way of the song and back up your concept with a solid production plan.

There are several options for shooting a music video. Here are some of the top techniques that will help you make a cool and stylish video. Using a set location is basic and does not have to be boring! It also is creatively flexible since you are not worried about control of lighting, weather, parking, or more.

Many like to work with the “one take” method. This may seem tricky but it can be super effective and will save tons of post-production time and sometimes works best for the song. Another option is a thematic short film. You don’t have to be Beyonce to use this technique and can put together a sort of film about the music.

For the most creative, a home video option can work. You can work with video you have already, or create new footage that looks like it is archived footage, or even retrogrades your footage to make it look like an older format.

Write your music video script

Every videographer approaches a music video project in a different way. It all starts with the song. Listen to it again and again, break down the lyrics and think about the narrative and the tone. Is it a love song, is it about loss or fear, or joy? That will help you set the tone for your video. Think about every element of the song. Will you include a performance of the song in s studio or will it be more of an accompaniment to the song?

Create a script template that tracks your audio, or lyrics in one column and the visuals in the other. Here is where you will track any ideas you have on what you want onscreen and how you will illustrate or support the song visually. Be as detailed as possible with your script and it will be a great template for your client and your crew to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Break down your script

Once your music video script is done, break down the script by listing out everything you will need for the shoot. This will include video equipment, props, locations, and talent. Being detailed and specific here is the key to formulating a budget and a timeline. Regardless of the scope and size of your production, this will be the backbone of your planning and your production schedule.

Work through your shooting style. Music videos are often less traditional in terms of filmmaking guidelines and standards. This is most evident in shooting styles and transitions. Think about your style and tone, and how it will help tell the story of your song. Camera angles, transitions, and special effects all come into play when planning and shooting a music video. Music videos range from traditional to the very cutting edge. Pick your lane early and be sure you have consensus from all involved.

Create a storyboard and shot list

Once you have your concept a storyboard follows. This invaluable tool will help you make solid plans for your shoot. Brainstorm with the artist, your team (if you have one) and talk about the theme, the flow of the story, shots, and other important decisions like locations. Create a shot by shot storyboard that you can use as a reference when scheduling and executing the shoot.

Your production schedule

Your video production schedule will include pre-production, which is basically your planning stage. That includes conceptualizing, scripting, storyboarding, and coordination of all aspects of the shoot. It will also include production, which is when you are actually shooting. And finally, there’s the critical post-production phase which includes sound edit and mix, film editing, and more.  For each minute in a song, you may spend well over 2 – 8 hours shooting, editing, and finishing the video. Create a production schedule that includes each of these steps and who will be involved.

Pro Tips to keep it low budget!

For most musicians, there’s not a lot of dough leftover for a high budget video. But you will need it to successfully promote your video. You may be willing and able to spend thousands on a slick music video, but that is not the case for most of us. And artist after the artist has proven that it’s just not necessary to break the bank to successfully shoot a video. Here are some tips to keep you on track (and on a budget!)

Recruit your pals.

People love to be involved in shooting videos. You may have friends with some video talent or experience, but maybe you’re just shooting with a smartphone. Bring in your friends to helo with the filming, props, or maybe to add another smartphone and new shot angles and more choices when you are editing.  Need an audience? Reach out on social media to your buddies and voila! Want to use a beach house? Everyone knows someone. Tell your friends you are throwing a party while you shoot your music video in the background and they’ll show up/1 

Be efficient with time

Whether you are relying upon your friends to help, hiring professionals, or renting equipment, you will want to work quickly. This is where a tight storyboard and shot list will be valuable. Try to plan a shoot that is no longer than 4 -6 hours including set up and breakdown.

Pick a single location

There are lots to think about when shooting a video production, especially if you are on camera or behind the camera. So make it as simple as possible for the lighting, travel, set up, and crew by using a single location. Maybe you are going to the studio, or staying local. There are thousands of local locations. Try to see them with a new eye as you scout locations. This will help you maximize the best light, minimize set up, travel time, and costs.

There are tons of free locations. Think out of the box. You’ll be surprised by how happy people may be to have you use their location, or how easy it may be to get the use of an empty theater, or museum. Look around for public spots, looking for interesting visual elements or themes that resonate with the song. Caution: Ask the city or location if you can shoot a video. They sometimes require licensing and insurance so check before you shoot.

Find interesting visual elements

Think about an interesting visual element that will add interest. You walking across an empty stage before the music starts, empty theatre seats, or dancing. Think it through before you start the shoot and now how each move matches up to the song.

When you are ready to create your masterpiece, be sure your concept is solid and understood by everyone involved. Your production should allow for the unexpected but be very specific. Shoots lots of footage so you have plenty of options in postproduction. And enjoy!

If you are not ready to take on shooting a music video yet, bring your ideas and music to a full-service video agency like C&I Studios.

Planning is critical when it comes to video production. There are three stages to video production – pre-production, production, and post-production. Pre-production is where all of the planning occurs, which is often more essential than the actual shooting and production. Nothing is more critical to creating a killer video than proper planning during the pre-production phase. Pre-production is where you lock in the script, plan the shoot and locations, establish the budget and production schedules, hire crew and cast, arrange for equipment, permitting and insurance, and every other detail of the video.

Before the cameras roll, plan, plan, and plan some more.

Here are our 12 pro tips to make sure you avoid common pre-production challenges and maximize the ROI on your video. Poor planning or lack of planning can take you over budget and put you behind schedule. Even worse, you can spend time producing a video that lacks purpose or goal. Hiring an agency is one way to avoid these common mistakes.

Here are some pro tips, whether you are working with an agency or going it alone.

1. Make a planning checklist for yourself. The best way to stay on task and cover all of your bases is to create a checklist of all the pre-production tasks you will use repeatedly. Here are some items that should make your list:

1. Finalize the script and budget
2. Hire your crew
3. Hire your talent
4. Create a storyboard
5. Choose and secure locations.
6. Get any permits or insurance required.
7. Create a shot list
8. Choose all the gear needed.
9. Schedule the shoot

2. Clearly articulate the goal of the video. Every video has a business objective. Understand your goal for this video. You may want to drive traffic to your landing page, build awareness of your brand, or introduce a new product, sell a product to new clients or existing clients, or drive visits to your store. Be sure you know the primary goal of this video and how you will measure its success. Don’t do a video for the sake of having a video. It must work for you and your current business challenge or opportunity, and you will need to clearly articulate that goal to everyone working on the project.

3. Narrow down your audience to a specific avatar or persona. Marketing is about communicating with a specific audience about how you or your product can solve a specific problem for them. The more you can narrow down your audience, the more precisely and more authentically you’ll be able to speak with them. Use research to focus on one key demographic, so you can create a video that speaks directly to them and their felt need. Remember, when you try to speak to everyone, sometimes you speak to no one. Be targeted and ask yourself why this target needs or cares about your product.

4. Hone your message until it is clear and concise. Try to be specific about what problem you are trying to solve. List out what you need to tell your viewer and what you want them to do as a result of watching your video. Including multiple messages often will dilute all messaging, so focus and limit your key points to three of four.

5. Frontload your best content into the first 8 seconds. Get to the point1 Eight seconds is the average attention span of an internet user. You need to immediately grab their attention quickly by leading with your best content. They should know within a few seconds why your video matters to them.

6. Scout your location ahead of time. Scout out our locations before finalizing your production schedule. Visit your locations at various times of the day to optimize lighting and observe any distractions like planes flying overhead. Take the time to check logistics like parking and restrooms to avoid disasters on the shoot day.

7. Create a storyboard and treatment. The storyboard is where your big idea comes together. A storyboard is simply a sketch of your video, showing each shot. You should have a “treatment,” which is a one-page summary outlining the video style and tone and the concept of “big idea.” A storyboard will outline each section of the video. This is where you will determine things like whether you’ll use voiceover, animation, actors, music or sound effects, locations, and more. You’ll determine the style, length, and video structure. You will illustrate three components – script and narration, what is on-screen, and any supporting elements like special effects, sound, branding, or text. Your storyboard is a valuable tool for planning and sharing your vision and plan with everyone involved.

8. Prepare a shot list and lighting diagram. A shortlist helps you break down your storyboard. Once you have determined your shot list, you can plan things like camera angle and lighting. A well-planned shot list can save hours in the editing room or on the day of the shoot while expensive talent sits around. This is an excellent time to create a lighting diagram to plan camera placement, lighting, and talent placement.

9. Select the right length for your video. Videos vary in length, which is sometimes determined by the platform the video will appear. In general, attention spans are short, and shorter videos are better. Usually, one or two minutes are maximum. YouTube ads run for 30 to 60 seconds, while YouTube videos are 8 to 10 minutes. TV commercials are between 60 and 90 seconds. You need to keep your video tight, focused, and clear but still make it long enough to convey your message.

10. Create a production schedule- but overestimate the time you’ll need. A production schedule tells you where and when each scene will be filmed. Include in your schedule what crew and cast will be required, script pages, and projected time needed. Always overestimate the time required. Production will always take longer than you think!

11. Pre-interview your subjects. If you’re filming an interview, don’t go off the cuff. Speak with the subject ahead of time and have them answer the questions you’ll be asking. This step will help make them more comfortable and give better answers. Take notes on their answers so that you can prompt them if they get off track or nervous.

12. Be flexible – Remember Murphy’s Law. Thinks will go wrong. Rule number one in video shooting is to stay flexible. Regardless of how well you plan, things will change. The weather may not cooperate, the talent may be off, or gear malfunctions. Shoots are unpredictable, so accept that and roll with it!

You can create fantastic video content that will speak to your audience. Invest the time and thought in the pre-production phase to get great results and avoid production challenges.

When you’re ready to make your video, consider a full-service agency like C&I Studios. Take advantage of our tips so you are prepared to participate in the pre-planning that will help you bring a killer video to life that will serve your business goals and delight your target audience.

Your guide to video production planning during Covid-19

Proper video production planning will guarantee that you have the right content for the right target and meet your marketing goals. Excellent video production planning starts with clearly defining your objectives and understanding your target audience. This will help you craft the perfect message for your video project. In these times of Covid-19 we all want to ensure the safety of our production team and crew. Our guide to video production takes you step-by-step through planning and creating the ideal video, with special guidelines for production during Covid-19.

Precautions to take in your video production planning during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Safety first!  It is possible to create great video content while still keeping yourself and your crew safe from Covid-19. You want to set a great example for your clients and for your crew and minimize any liability you may have.

Here are our top tips for video planning during Covid-19:

• Have a Covid-19 brief with your entire team. Be sure they have been tested and can recognize the signs of Covid-19 and agree to follow all safety protocols.
• Masks! Local regulations vary from state to state and even within states. Model best practices by wearing masks at all times! But what about those in front of the camera? Try to shoot outside, keep the group shots small, keeping to maybe 2 or 3 people.
• Wear gloves when possible and bring extra gloves and masks for the team.
• Be sure to bring what you’ll need to disinfect all equipment after a shoot. This includes cameras, tripods, microphones, and lenses.
• Be sure to wash all of your clothes worn on the shoot immediately upon returning home.
• Keep your onsite crews small. Try to stagger the talent so they are not onset at the same time.
• If any of your crew are in high-risk situations or areas, they must self-quarantine for two weeks.
• Use remote-controlled cameras when possible.
• Consider the use of remote talent, directed by video call! Ship any props or wardrobe to the talent, and have your director talk through lighting, sound and background settings with them in advance.
• Don’t overlook the effectiveness of user-generated content. There is lots of good stuff out there.
• Limit travel to locations as much as possible. Keep the teams small and be sure they are committed to best practices.

The bottom line is we can safely keep the cameras rolling during Covid-19 but we bear the responsibility to follow safety guidelines and go the extra mile to keep our teams safe!

Pro Tips and stats

Video content is more important every year. Whether the platform is YouTube, Instagram. Facebook, or your website, consumers love video. Check out these stats:

• Even emails that have “video” in the subject line get a lift in open rates.
• By 2022, video is expected to make up more than 82% of all consumer traffic.
• YouTube traffic is second only to Google
• Over 80% of businesses use video in their marketing.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to dive in, but here are some insights and pro tips for video marketing. Planning is everything. Pre-production is the most critical part of a video project and the foundation of your video. All must understand the vision for the project, as well as the goals and budget.

Be clear about your goals.

A good video starts with a clear vision of the objective of the project. The more specific you can be, the better. Every bit of content has the ultimate objective. The purpose may be to introduce your brand, announce a promo, or build your brand. Try to make the goals for the project detailed, measurable, realistic, and time-bound. Thinking about what business problem you are trying to solve with the project is the best place to start. What will be your measure of success? It may be units sold, visitors to the site, sign-ups, or anything else that can be measured.

Getting to know your audience

All customers are not alike, which means they may not all want to see the same content. Take advantage of Google analytics and sales insight to develop customer avatars or personas. This will define your audience and inform your marketing decisions. The more narrow your target, the better you can target and speak specifically to them in a relevant way. Remember, when you try to talk to everyone, sometimes you reach no one. Your goal is to create content that appeals to and engages your most valuable audience. What is their pain point? What will they relate to? How can you make them take action?

Hone your message

Make your message as clear and concise as possible. Again, don’t try to tell everything in one video. Choose the one message that best serves the goal of this specific video. Are you selling a specific product, trying to send viewers to your site, or introducing your brand. Don’t underestimate your viewer and assume you need to explain every little detail in a preamble. Start the story in the middle getting right to the meat. Focus on the “why” of your product or service. Why does it matter to the viewer? What’s in it for him? Most important, be clear on what you want the viewer to do after watching the video. Be sure to tell them by including a prominent call to action.

Be realistic about your budget.

The more specific you are about the video’s goal, the easier it will be to set your budget. This needs to be done early on. You do not want to produce a low-quality video that represents your brand poorly. So be realistic, and stick with your budget. A good production company will develop concepts that meet your goals but still stay within your budget.

What now? Create a strategy for your video content

Every video needs a strategy behind it. This includes whether you produce it in-house or externally, how you will distribute it and where you can repurpose it and use it across multiple platforms.

Write your video production brief.

Summarize all of the items above in a video production brief. Like any creative brief, it will include your objectives, target audience, what you want from the audience, your messaging, and budget.

Develop your creative concept

How can you best convey your message? This is the idea or concept for your video. It will usually come from your creative team or outside agency once they know the project objectives.

The perfect script

A compelling script should be transparent and feel honest. It should establish you as an expert and your brand as trustworthy, so don’t overstate or use hyperbole. The creative approach or concept will inform the script. Above all, stove to be genuine, authentic, engaging, and concise.

The Storyboard

A storyboard is a great way for all involved to visualize a project. It is merely a sequence of images or drawings that show the shots that will make up your video. It will be a great tool in helping plan the shoot, establish the budget, and create your schedule. You’ll be thinking about locations, shots, lighting, and more. 

Load your best 8 seconds first. The average attention span and many viewers will not stick with you. So try to frontload your most important and most engaging content to pull in the viewer. And choose the right length based on video purpose and platform. Shorter videos have better engagement. Videos of less than 60 seconds have a 68% chance of being viewed to the end, while a video over 20 minutes will only hold 25% of viewers.

Plan the shoot

The storyboard is your first step in creating a shot list for every scene. Your list will be a detailed schedule of locations, camera shots and angles, lighting, actors, special effects, and more. This is your blueprint, and pre-planning is essential to keeping you on track, on budget, and on schedule.

Your list might include:

Scene number, shot number, locations, shot descriptions, action and dialogue, props, and other notes. Your production schedule can be developed from this. Your production schedule will contain everything about your shoot and needs to be maintained and updated each day.

Post-production work

Once the shoot is completed, editing begins. Your editor will pare down hours of footage to the best final takes. They may also use B-roll to supplement their shots. The editing includes audio mix and soundtrack, voiceovers, and any special effects.

Analytics

An often overlooked step is setting up analytics and analyzing the results. Set up your analytic tools and check them on an ongoing basis. This is an opportunity to adjust and revise for the next time or add or reduce spending on the distribution.

Video is the fastest growing online marketing. Consider adding it to your marketing mix today. Speak with a full-service agency like C&I Studios to see how they can help you plan your video production and integrate it into your marketing plan.

Marketing with videos on Facebook is a great way to grab your target audience with dynamic and engaging content. Facebook video has a daily audience of over 500 million people, making it second only to YouTube. Over 62% of viewers completely consume a video.

Why Use Facebook Video Marketing?

Facebook video ads are an extremely effective marketing tool. Audiences love video. Facebook has over 2.3 billion active users monthly, and according to Facebook, Facebook users watch billions of hours of video each day. There’s an excellent chance your audience is there. Facebook videos are a great way to connect and engage with them, build your brand, introduce new products or services, or promote special offers.

Video ads engage your users better than any other kind of ad. HubSpot says that 54% of users want to see more video content from a brand or business they support and are 85% more likely to purchase after viewing a product video. Compare this to the fact that people typically only read less than 28% of your site’s words. People prefer watching a video to reading.

Facebook video ads are also likely to be shared, driving word of mouth and organic reach. These are two of the most effective and authentic ways to promote your brand.

Choosing your custom audience for Facebook video marketing

As with any marketing, you want to reach the right audience with the right content. This is the best way to maintain relevance and optimize your ads. The custom audience feature lets you identify the people you target by choosing a geographic location, which is excellent for a small business. You can also choose demographic info such as age range, relationship status, gender, and education. This data helps you serve up your ad to people who look like your customer avatars or persona.

A huge advantage of Facebook is the ability to target based on likes and interests, based on the pages and groups they engage with. For example, if your product is athletic wear, look for people in yoga groups, spin groups, etc. Purchase history can also be beneficial as you hone in on targeting your ideal buyer or customer.

Retargeting

Not all of your custom audience will engage with your video or view in the same way.

Retargeting allows you to reach out to customers who have shown interest in your product by watching your video. Someone who has “viewed” your video is someone who has watched at least three seconds of the video, as opposed to someone who has “completed” or watched 95% of the video.

Top Facebook Video Marketing Strategies

Choosing the right kind of video content is essential. There are many types of videos. Here are a few of the most common.

Harness the power of user-generated content, which can be some of the most effective and budget-friendly available. In these days of full transparency, social proof is everything. Let your satisfied customers do the job for you. A great testimonial is authentic and allows the customers to see your product being used. Many clients are happy to be showcased and will be thrilled to capture their thoughts on the video. Just ask!

Product Feature – A showcase of a product can help your client have confidence in your product. It can show them the product in use and answer any questions more clearly than words can often do. You could do this infomercial style, a demo, or a showcase of the product.

Tutorial – If you are deeper down the funnel, a tutorial can be an excellent tool. You can use Facebook video to demonstrate how your product works and what problems it solved. The show, don’t tell.

Think Mobile!!

Formatting your video correctly is essential. Over 65% of video views on Facebook are from mobile devices. Smartphone users view the video in vertical 94% of the time! Create videos that work in both portrait or landscape and try to give your customers a full-screen experience on any device.

Tell them what to do!

Your Facebook video marketing always has a specific objective. Marketing 101 tells us to always include a call to action. Tell the viewer what you want him to do. You may want to drive them to your site, purchase an offer, or share with friends. Regardless of the call to action, it should be included in the text in your video and included in the video itself wherever it makes sense. It can be a voiceover, part of the script, or text at the end of the video. Make it work within our creative concept.

Size matters. Pick the right length video.

Attention spans continue to shrink. Therefore, it’s imperative that your video is concise and to the point. Facebook videos can be from 1 second to 240 minutes long. Usually, videos run between 15 and 60 seconds to keep them digestible but useful. You can convey your message in that timeframe with a carefully crafted message and proper video structure.

Work through the funnel.

Facebook video marketing can work for any stage of the sales funnel. You can create content that works for any stage of the sales funnel, but it will be different at any stage. Using retargeting, you can follow the customer journey through awareness, consideration, and conversion and offer the most relevant ads at any stage. They will have different interests and needs, so build your content to pull them through the sales process and fully illustrate your brand. Sequencing your ads will make them work the hardest for you.

Know your objective right up front and how you will measure success

The first and most important element of Facebook video marketing is to be clear on your video’s objective. Facebook will ask you for the objective. You should have this established before you do anything. Depending upon where you are in the funnel, some common objectives are traffic building, band awareness, reach, engagement, lead generation, sales, or store visits.

What makes a successful Facebook video ad?

Viewers engage differently with Facebook video marketing than a static ad. A good video will leverage the attention to create winning ads.

Here are a few tips:

• Hook your viewer quickly. You will likely not capture more than 60 seconds of the viewer’s attention, and the first 4-6 seconds are pivotal. Frontload the good stuff. Your opening must be attention-grabbing and interesting. Put your most important information upfront and keep it concise and clear. Show the viewer what’s in it for them right away. Don’t try to include everything and try to make the video feel personal to make a connection. Some good hooks – Ask a question, address a common problem, use humor, or surprise the viewer.
• Tell a story. Storytelling makes your brand relatable and established authenticity. This is your chance to show your brand personality and that you are trustworthy. Use colors, tone, imagery, and music to capture emotions and connect.
• Use captions! Make your video work without sound and with sound. Your video starts playing as soon as the user scrolls past it, and Facebook says 85% of videos are played without sound. So, use your visuals as well as captions to stop users from scrolling and watch. This will increase your viewership. Be sure your opening includes appealing text to hook your viewer and stop the scrolling.
• Always be sure to include a text tagline that can help reinforce your brand and push conversion. “Visit our site to get this week’s special” or “Get Yours Now!” are examples of clear calls to action that will drive conversion.

Ready to get started? Facebook video marketing should be an integral part of your marketing and can be easier than you think. Reach out to a full-service agency like C&I Studios to start building your Facebook video library today.

Video content is now one of the most important elements of social media marketing.

Over 85% of businesses use videos in their marketing. Great video content is critical to your marketing strategy and is one of the best opportunities in marketing today. Video content is used in brand building, selling a product or service, building trust, engaging your audience, and expanding your audience.

Why is video content so important in social media marketing? 

Video content helps brands reach new audiences and engage with their general audiences in a new way. Videos offer the chance to tell a story, and we all love stories. Communicating via story helps build an emotional connection and conveys your message in a way that is easy to consume and often entertaining and informative. This means your consumer is much more likely to stick with your content.

Video content is known to have an excellent return on investment, which is why marketers love it. Hubspot research says that 88% of video marketers reported positive ROI from their video campaigns and those returns continue to improve. It’s simpler than ever to create and share video content, making it a marketer’s favorite. Video content allows a brand to show who they are and what they stand for, showing their personality.

Data is king, and using video on social media allows a brand to quickly access powerful analytics with insights and data that can be turned into actionable information. A viewer who consumed 25% of the video can receive a different follow up messaging than one who watched the entire video. Video also makes it simple to test various messages, tones, and styles.

How can social media videos be used?

There are numerous types of video content. Most fall into the buckets of demos, brand awareness, testimonials, live videos, or promotional videos. Brand videos are often found on brand websites and are designed to introduce the brand and its mission in an engaging and concise way. They are also used in social media campaigns. 

Live videos are very useful in establishing trust with target audiences. You’ll find them on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and other platforms where they are easily shared with massive audiences. They can be a simple product demo, Q&A’s or special offers and announcements. 

Social proof is everything, making testimonials particularly effective. Brands can boost their credibility and conversions by sharing the words and images of their raving fans. 

To harness the strength and power of social media, you must start with a strategy. What is the goal of your campaign? Be clear on the results you’re looking for, such as driving people to the website, engaging with consumers to develop your rapport, selling products, or building your brand. Your video strategy must be aligned with all of your other marketing, including your website.  

10 Pro Tips to Using Video in Social Media Marketing

1 – Video is the hook!  

Video is super consumable and makes the perfect tool to draw in your consumers. There is a plethora of content on the internet, and video competes well in pulling in the attention of your target. Let your viewer know what your video’s purpose is right up front, then add digestible bits of content that are long enough to keep their attention and make a point, but short enough to keep them on and wanting more.

2 – Optimize your video for search engines

Like all content, your videos must be optimized for search engines. Create compelling headlines with keywords that will get search activity. Provide a great description of your video so it will get indexed and use relevant hashtags. Use Twitter’s analytics to help you with demographics and create hashtags that will boost you across YouTube and Facebook.

3 – Be clear on your call to action

Every video needs to be based on a clear marketing goal. Think about the action you want from the viewer. Some common video goals are driving visitors to your website, selling a product, or getting the viewer to share your video. If they have viewed your video, tell them what to do next. “For more information, visit here.” And double-check your links. If you are selling a product, consider using a dedicated sales page or landing page.

4 – Make your messaging precise and focused

Be precise in your messaging. A video that is focused on one core message and one goal will work harder than a video that tries to cover too much. If any part of your messaging does not support your call to action, consider removing it.

5 – Leverage trending topics

Relevance is critical in the social media space. Incorporate trending topics to up your relevance. Think of hashtags that are trending, timely topics, and find a way to weave them into your messaging and hashtags. Take advantage of the news and consumer behavior. Become part of the social conversation.

6 – Share time-sensitive info 

Video is a great way to share news about your company and new products and services or promotions. Video can quickly demonstrate and explain your offers in a consumer-friendly and entertaining way and can be easily shared across multiple platforms and your website.

7 – Brand is everything- be consistent

Branding is everything. Be sure to be aligned with your brand presence on all other channels in terms of graphics, messaging, and imagery. Consider watermarking your videos with your brand logo for maximum brand exposure.

8 – Let your video quality speak for your brand

If you are going to create a video, do it right! A video of low quality will speak volumes about your brand. Bad sound or picture quality or poor acting can create a poor brand association and tank your brand image, Watch for background noise, low resolution, and other signs of poor quality.

9 – Pull back the curtain and personalize your brand

Videos in social media marketing are an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your people and products. Humanize your business by showing behind the scenes and create brand familiarity. Let your view take a peek behind the curtain to establish rapport.

10 – Learn by doing – Track, analyze and regroup 

In marketing, sometimes we knock it out of the park, and sometimes we don’t. The “win” of social media marketing is that we don’t have to guess. Use your analytics to see what is working and what is not. Analyze your results, learn from them, adjust your messaging and imagery, and try again. Find out what works, and do that!

Social media basics

Video content makes up more of all traffic each year. It is well over 80% now. Videos in your social media marketing are critical. Put in the effort to do it right. Here are some video basics to keep in mind:

• Size matter. Social media sites have varying sizes for uploading. Twitter is 506X 254, while Pinterest is best at 737 wide and any height. Check the dimensions and aspect ratios for the platforms you are using.
• Think about where your visitors are and remember to focus on mobile and desktop. Don’t use small elements in your video, such as small text. 
• Frames per second. Over 60 frames per second are acceptable but keep in mind file size, which could perform slowly. 
• It’s all about the lighting and audio. Don’t make your viewer strain to understand. They will move on. 
• Length is important. Here are Hubspot’s recommendations for video length by platform
  • Facebook – 1 minute 
  • Twitter – 45 seconds
  • Instagram – 30 seconds 
  • YouTube – 2 minutes
• Final reminder. Be clear on what metrics matter to you. Likes are great, but they don’t sell products. Shares are great and more of an endorsement. Design your video and call to action with the goal in mind. 

There you have it. There are many reasons to add videos to your social media marketing. A video is your brand’s handshake with your consumers. Talk with a full-service agency like C&I Studios to bring your brand to life.

5 Big Advantages of Renting Production Equipment

Should you buy or rent video production equipment? Having the right gear is key to creating a professional video production. Here are five big advantages to renting production equipment instead of buying.

Clients are sophisticated today, and expectations for a sleek and professional production have never been higher. There are pros and cons to both renting and buying. The best decision for you will be based on the types of videos you are making. Do you work on various projects that will require a wide range of equipment, or do you focus on a specific type of video such as in-studio product shots? Are you just getting started and working with a limited budget, or is the sky the limit? Will you be traveling to a destination shooting, or be in a remote location? Are you shooting a simple video or creating a high production video with lots of special effects? Start with a good understanding of your needs, both current, and future, to make the best decision for you.

Amateurs and professionals alike can benefit from renting video equipment. Renting is also popular with photography and video studios, professionals who work with a wide range of projects and clients, and advertising and web development companies. Renting specialized equipment is a great way to try out equipment before purchasing or extending your capabilities for a specific project without making a significant expenditure.

Here are some tips to help you decide if renting production equipment is going to work for you.

Access to the latest and greatest equipment for each of your projects

Technology changes very fast in the video space. Avoid the waiting game for the next technology release, and stay current with state-of-the-art equipment and accessories without making ongoing capital investments by taking advantage of renting. You can have access to the most recent and best equipment at a fraction of the cost.

If you purchase your equipment, it will likely be outdated in a year or two. By renting, you’ll also have the chance to try out lots of equipment and reduce the risk of making the wrong purchase. If you are purchasing equipment, you will likely have budgetary constraints and need to compromise on quality in some areas, whether it be on lighting gear or choosing a lens that covers a range of situations instead of having the eight specialty lenses.

If you work on a range of projects, having an entire range of equipment to cover anything that comes your way can be costly. You may need equipment doe special audio effects for only one project. Renting puts it within your reach. Getting the quality and range of equipment you need for any project is perhaps the top reason to rent.

Many rental houses also provide support, advice, and tutorials for using the gear you rent so you can fast track learning to get the best results from any piece of equipment.

The rental house will be responsible for the maintenance, representing another item taken off your plate.

Control your costs by renting production equipment – 6 ways!

• Reduce your overhead

Equipment costs can often be the most significant expenditure in your budget. Camera, lenses, audio equipment, and accessories like tripods and dollies can be very costly and can add up quickly. But to get the right look and sound in your project, the right gear is essential. Renting production equipment is a budget-friendly way to have all of the flexibility and variety you need in gear for any project that comes your way. Renting can benefit your budget in six significant ways.

First and foremost, renting is a great way to control your capital costs. Renting cameras for a few days or weeks instead of making a full purchase, especially for shorter shoots, can give you huge savings. You may need a camera stabilizer for only one day. Why buy it?

Tips: Rent around your schedule, so only pay when you are using. Follow your storyboard and create a tight production plan and schedule and then plan your rentals around that. There’s no need to rent equipment for the entire shoot if you only need it for a shorter time.

• Reduce your storage needs

Storage on a shoot can be limited, and studio space quickly fills up. Reduce expensive storage space and the insurance they require. Save the precious studio space for sets and working areas.

• Reduce your insurance costs.

Insurance – Be sure to get insurance. Most rentals houses will require you to take coverage for the equipment you rent. PLEASE DO! But this will be much more reasonable than full-time coverage on all of your equipment.

• Maintenance is not your problem! 

If you are renting, you do not pay for maintenance. If your camera breaks from normal wear and tear, the video rental company is responsible for repair costs.

• Pass on the cost to the client

If you are using specialized equipment for a shoot, consider building it into your bid and charging it back to your client. You can’t do this with the essential equipment you would be expected to have, but a drone, special effects, or other equipment may be reasonable to chargeback as a production cost.

• Rentals are tax-deductible

Renting a video camera for a project is 100% tax-deductible as an operational expense under the 179 IRS Tax Code. Tax codes change, so always check with your accountant.

• It’s easy to calculate your breakeven point. 

If you have the cash and know precisely what camera you will want and need for the next few years, buying may make more sense. Normally. Various projects require a variety of cameras and gear. It’s hard t predict what format will be popular next year or what new technology will be introduced. If you want to look at breakeven to buy vs.rent, consider this. Take a look at the full cost doe the equipment against the cost per daily rental for each item, and you will see the number of rentals needed to reach the retail value.

Ease of traveling – onsite rentals save money, stress

If you are doing a destination shoot, renting production equipment, particularly when shooting abroad, can reduce hassles and expenses. Traveling with equipment can require special permits, which can be expensive and are not always fool-proof. The last thing you want to happen is to have your equipment stuck in customs while your production clock is running.

Some simple accessories like liking, booms, and audio can be the bulkiest (and most expensive) to travel with. Check out the availability of rentals in the destination before you travel. Air and land transportation costs can add up very quickly.

Any equipment can be rented

Just about any video equipment, you may need can be rented. Here are the most rented items:

• High-end cameras with great features. Some rent a full movie package
• An array of specialty lenses
• Audio kits and other sound equipment like boom mics or wireless mics.
• Dana Dolly to mount heavy cameras and hold them steady
• Lighting gear like LEDs or HMI’s.
• Camera package
• Production gear and grip supplies

Drone cameras

Tips: Always check out the equipment to be sure to work correctly before shooting day.

This always protects you from being charged for damage before you got it.

Easy to rent – rental house or online

There are several options for where you can rent production equipment ranging from individuals on Craigslist to top online sites, like ours, or actual rental shops. A rental shop is great since you can try out the equipment in person and the staff is usually very helpful in helping teach you the features. The shipping sites can be less expensive and often offer online tutorials. They do not always have some of the more significant equipment and specialty items. So you may find yourself mixing and matching to get what you need.

Renting equipment can be valuable as you move from production to production without investing in the gear you may only use occasionally. You may spend only a tenth of the cost when only renting when it is needed. Try to buy the basics that you will use again and again based on your need. Get the cheapest that meets your needs while giving you the best quality.

When you are ready to rent production equipment

When you are ready to rent production equipment, think carefully through your needs and your production schedule so you can save but renting only when the equipment will be used. Research any unfamiliar gear to be sure you are getting what best meets your needs. Allow for a learning curve to get familiar with the equipment before you shoot. Shop around for the best gear and pricing for each project you do.

Perfecting your video production sales pitch is easier than you think. Finding new clients and projects to work on is a big part of thriving in video production. With a few pro tips and some practice, you can nail your next client pitch and keep those great projects flowing.

Putting together a great bid, pitch and proposal are all essential to the video production business, yet they are often overlooked or taken too lightly. Work as hard on the pitch as you will on the video concepts.

Here are our pro tips for nailing your next video production sales pitch.

Pitching the concept

The best concept in the world can fall flat with a weak pitch. A flustered and scattered pitch will derail the best of concepts. You have already submitted a solid creative brief that has gotten you to the point of pitching concepts.

To recap, your creative brief should include an overview of the project and relevant experience. It will consist of concrete and achievable objectives and the metrics you would be tracking. For example, are you selling more products, getting sign-ups, or changing a brand’s image? You must know the target audience inside and out and include demos such as gender, age, income, education, and ethnicity. An excellent brief assesses the competition and demonstrates you know how this client is different.

Perhaps the most essential elements of a creative brief is your message that demonstrates your campaign’s theme. The brief should illustrate the tone and some visuals like a mood board. Scheduling is a rough outline of critical dates and a budget. Your client has reviewed your creative brief, and you are now ready to pitch!

Here are top tips to help you ace your video production sales pitch

• Study your brief one more time. This has set expectations for your client, and you should not veer from what the client has agreed to see from you. Be sure your concept delivers on all aspects of your brief from goals, to scheduling and budgeting.
• Be sure your concept is fully aligned with the strategy. Don’t let the creative take over. Your concept must deliver concretely on the strategy, which should be the starting point of your creative process.
• Create a concrete pitch deck that includes the visuals and the scripting. Revise, revise, and revise one more time to be sure it is perfect.
• Be prepared to describe your video concept (and your pitch deck) in a couple of sentences. You should be able to call out the focus of the content, the problem being solved, and how it will be solved. Be sure your visuals support the target demographics!
• Be as visual as possible by creating a mood board that helps demonstrate your concept, color palette, tone, and feel. Focus on helping the client see the project as you see it. Use known references such as “Borat meets West Wing.”
• Show your storyboard. Pairing a reading of the script with a storyboard helps the client visualize the project.
• Perfect and practice your pitch. Practice your pitch many times. Sometimes the client may not like your pitch. It happens. Be prepared to defend the project by explaining the choices you have made.

Pitching you and your team

• Demonstrate the value that you and your team bring.

Sales are about bringing value and making a connection with the client. Show your client that you understand their company and their company’s fundamentals, including their business model and how they make money. Remember, everyone is in business for a reason, and while it is easy for us to become enamored with the creative side of things, clients exist to make money. Tie your work to the bottom line as directly as you can.

Show them how working with you will increase their bottom line. It is not always easy to find this direct connection to revenue but dig deep and get creative. This will help your pitch stand out.

Be sure your project description is complete and well thought out. Answer the client’s questions before they ask and show them that you and your shop will address every detail and make their project a priority.

Stay in touch with past clients so you can use them as examples of how your work has helped them increase revenue and get clearance from former clients to use them as references. showing you have a solid track record and proven ability to increase the bottom line is gold in a pitch. And if you can show more than one example, you can demonstrate that you can work across various verticals, including that of the client.

• Show off your expertise.

Your client may have seen some of your work, but remember, they come at it as a layperson. Demonstrating your relevant expertise will separate you from the pack and show why you are uniquely qualified to handle the project. Try to get the client to see your reel or look at your work. As they do, call out the purpose of each project and how you fulfilled it. Don’t spend too much time on this, but this is an opportunity to show how you’ll be able to pivot to a video that brings your client’s goals to life. Weave in some technical details on how you would approach the project showing you have the expertise and equipment to create an excellent video for them.

• Make your proposal clear and detailed.

It is always preferable to make your pitch in person. If this is not an option, perhaps a coffee or even a handshake to make a personal connection to your brand and proposal can be arranged. Your proposal should be comprehensive. Here are some elements that make for a great proposal and pitch.

• Giving your project a name to make it easy to talk about and distinguish
• Give a project overview that includes why you are best qualified to develop and shoot this project.
• Give an overview of your work, including your portfolio and resume.
• Be very clear about the scope of work. Discuss how you will handle work that may go beyond the agreed-upon scope.
• Build a timeline based on what you know. A timeline will help manage the client’s expectations and often will get things rolling.
• Clearly define what the deliverables are and any due dates attached to them.
• Budget – Provide detailed line items, including pre-production and post-production.
• Provide projected travel costs if this is part of the project.
• Always add signature lines for you and the client. ABC – Always Be Closing!

Bonus tips on developing a pitch

Be clear on the client’s goals for the video.

They usually fall within the categories of building brand awareness, selling a product or service, or announcing a new product or service.

Brand awareness videos are not selling a specific service or product but are meant to create a feeling or set of beliefs about the client and tend to be more emotional.

Selling an existing product or service is the most basic of videos and is different from selling a new product or service as there is often not as much explanation of the product required.

Launching and selling a new product can be the most challenging as the audience is likely, not familiar with the product, so you must capture their attention and then hold it as you explain the product.

The basics

• Get familiar with the client. Study their creative brief, their pitch deck, and be sure to visit their site and understand all of their current communications. Get to understand their company culture, vision, and what their goals are for this video.
• Find their unique selling points. Follow up on the client’s creative brief to dig into this if it is not evident.
• Study the competition – Survey the landscape and understand what the competition is doing, how they compare, their positioning, language, and their unique selling points.
• Develop two or three concepts that are doable and that you expect would be acceptable to the client.
• Create a treatment that describes the concept in a couple of paragraphs and have this in your back pocket in case the concept falls flat.

Sometimes a client will just not like your project. It can be that you’ve missed the point, or just maybe creative differences. Defend your work to a reasonable point. But if it is a hard no, move on. If it is “a swing and a miss,” graciously accept it and be sure you learn from the experience and listen to the client’s feedback.

Why branding is the most important step in the web design process

Branding needs to part of your web design to ensure you carry a consistent message across all of the ways you engage with your audience, including social media, blogs, and packaging. Branding tells the world who you are and what you stand for, and every element of your marketing need to be on the same page. This ensures that the audience receives a cohesive view of your brand across all of your platforms.

Remember that your website is often a potential customer’s first experience with your brand, which means your branding must be fully integrated into your web design. Your site is where you are connecting with your clients and communicating what your brand stands for.

What is branding in web design?

Branding in web design extends well beyond logos and brand colors. It calls for the full integration of your brand and all it stands for in your web design. Your goal is to make a connection while also building your brand identity. Brand integration in web design means much more than using the right logos and colors. The messaging, user experience and the entire content must all come together to tell your story compellingly and coherently that will be mirrored in all of your other communications across all platforms. The usability and customer support will say as much about your brand as the actual logo and, like all the different elements of your web design, tell your customers who you are and what they can expect from you.

Your website is your “store,” and this is your opportunity to shine or to fail. It may be the first interaction a consumer has with your company. When all of the web design elements work together, you have an opportunity to make a personal connection with a customer and tell them what your values are. Your site is where loyal customers are made!

When you build or redesign your site, branding should be part of every step. You will need to have a fully articulated brand identity to optimize your web design for success.

What is a brand identity?

Brand identity is expression of your brand, including your appearance, communications, and engagement. In other words, it is how your brand looks, feels, and interacts with people. It can be what differentiates or elevates your brand and builds relationships with people. And often, it is much more.

What does a golden arch mean to you? What does a silver apple say to you? These are perhaps some of the best and most well-known examples of brand identity. These two brands have gone beyond representing a hamburger or a computer. They represent an entire experience and concept with which you will have a set of associations, whether positive, negative, or even indifferent, that include expectations for innovation, service, value, consistency, and other attributes, depending upon the brand.

Another great example is the brand Toms. Their brand has come to stand for much more than shoes. They symbolize goodwill, charity, and doing good.

What is branding in web design?

The building blocks of brand identity in web design are the basics that most people get. This is the brand strategy and messaging, the logo and identity, and brand guidelines that many agencies can deliver. The real challenge in brand building and brand development comes into play in the actual brand experience. This is where strategy gets executed and where many companies fail. The overlooked elements are the actual content strategy, the technical strategy, and the support that ensures a smooth and brand forward experience.

It is essential that your brand strategy’s execution has been well thought out and that you have the proper systems and support in place to make this happen seamlessly. Remember, your website is likely one of your most important assets. It must speak to your clients in the most consistent and brand-forward way possible through every step of the engagement and reflected in all other platforms where you engage with a client.

What are the steps (elements) of branding?

• Brand Strategy

Brand begins with a well thought out and articulated brand strategy. This is a detailed plan that lays out what you are trying to achieve and how you will get there. Your plan begins with your company’s vision or mission and your purpose. Increasingly, companies are communicating their values, making them more prominent in their branding. This is perhaps the most essential step of your branding journey, and a consensus must be reached with all stakeholders before moving on. Ideally, your planning team should include a brand lead who aligns the business goals with the brand. A creative leader would oversee the brand guidelines; a marketing lead will craft marketing strategies and content creation. In contrast, a communications lead would create a brand library that documents the brand and shares it with the company.

• Brand messaging

Brand messaging is essential when it comes time to execute the brand. It includes your brand voice, personality, value proposition, tagline, and brand pillars’ pillars. This messaging becomes the foundation for all future communications across all platforms and all purposes, whether promotional, sales, public relations, or content.

• Visual elements of brand identity

Your brand identity helps you communicate your brand visually to support and reinforce the brand strategy. The elements include your logo, color, typography, imagery, and other graphic representations of your brand. Your brand identity needs to be applied and work across a variety of media, so plan for that.

These are some of the visual basics:

• Logo – All design elements begin with the logo. It’s important to remember that your logo must work across many applications and be scalable and flexible.
• Colors – A strong color palette is usually built around a single color that often comes to represent your company. A palette is built around it to allow choice in design. There is usually the main color and a couple of primary and complementary colors and accents.
• Typography – The typography should be built off the logo. Try to keep your typography simple and limit the number of font families to a couple. There should be primary and secondary brand typefaces for specific purposes, such as headlines or body copy.
• Design System – This is a hierarchy and layout used for all design—for example, the order of the content, headers, subheads, body copy, and images.
• Photography – Photography is one of the more critical elements of design, and you must establish guidelines around what images are and are not appropriate. It may also address filters.

Other elements that may be required for your brand include interactive elements and motion graphics. Video is increasingly important, and of course, web design is at the heart of it all and must be maintained and continually-audited.

• Audit of the current identity

A branding project should include an honest evaluation of the current brand, all marketing assets, your website, and any other platforms.

• Identify your customers

Identifying a clear persona of who your customers across your various segments if very useful in and make a great litmus test as you move through the web design phase in making reliable decisions.

• Evaluate the competition

Do a competitive evaluation of who your competitors are. How and where do they communicate? Who is the competition targeting, and what are their brand personalities and unique selling propositions?

What makes a strong brand identity?

Strong brand identity needs to work from all perspectives, meaning for your internal team who needs to execute it and your customers who you want to engage with it.

This means it should have some key characteristics.

A checklist:

• Stand out – Is your brand distinctive enough to stand out and catch the attention of your target
• Impact – Is it memorable, so people will remember who and what you are?
• Flexible – As your brand grows and changes, can it evolve and hold up?
• Well-integrated – Do all of the pieces work well and support one another?
• Executable – Can your team members easily apply it across platforms and for a variety of purposes?

When it comes time to create or revisit your web design, be sure you look behind the simple visual appeal and integrate all of the other essential elements that contribute to a great user experience that clearly communicates who your brand is and what it stands for. A good web design agency will integrate the creative strategy into the web build to ensure you have a web design that engages the right audience in the right way for your brand.

Film editing has been referred to as the “invisible art.” The better the film editing is, the more transparent it becomes. Film editing is the balance of art and technique of boiling down hours and hours of footage and assembling those shots into a compelling and coherent film.

Good film editing transitions us from one image to another in a way that establishes the film’s rhythm and moves us through the story without us noticing the changes in images because they seem natural. Naturally, editing is integrated into the script, the acting, and the actual filming to create a whole that fulfills the film’s vision and purpose.

What makes good film editing?

Good editing builds up every moment to get the most out of each and create a sequence that fulfills the scene’s purpose. The editor is creating the flow of the scenes. Some people call editing the “third writing” of a film, after the script and the filming.

Each edit should move the story forward, either for plot development or for emotional impact. Sometimes it is just a pause to let the viewer assimilate what is happening.

What are some signs of poor editing?

In general, if you are noticing the editing, there is a good chance it’s poor editing. A film may be edited too much if you notice scene jumps that are confusing or pacing that is so fast you don’t have time to absorb the action. There is probably room for improvement.

Another sign of poor editing would be not cutting enough, so the story feels over-told, and the outcome of scenes are too obvious.

Lack of continuity that is confusing to the viewer is a sign of editing that could be improved. A shot that does not have a purpose, such as moving the story ahead and is slowing down the pace; this is known as a flat edit.

What are the main elements of film editing?

Editing is looking at the footage and from it constructing a scene. The editor is deciding on camera shots, such as wide shots and close-ups. They are establishing the film’s pace and deciding where to pick up the action or the emotion or so slow it down. All this must serve the purpose of keeping the viewer engaged in the story.

Some main elements of editing are ellipsis, cross-cutting and parallel action, juxtaposition, transitions, and montage.

• Ellipsis is one of the most basics concepts of film editing. It is the omission of a section of the story that is already obvious or that is being held back for suspense. In other words, you don’t present the mundane details that offer no relevance to the story or character development. The ‘boring parts” need to be stripped out.
• Cross-cutting or parallel editing is the technique of alternating between two or more scenes that are usually happening at the same time but in different places. They often lead to a scene where the two parties end up together. Cross-cutting is used to add interest and build excitement and suspense. It adds visual value and suspense.
• Juxtaposition. (The Kuleshot Experiment) A Soviet filmmaker experimented with the effects of juxtaposition. He cut an actor with shots of three different subjects. The actor did not change expression, yet the audience described the actor differently in all three cases, based on what else was in the scene with him.
• Transitions. Transition refers to how one shot ends, and the next shot begins and the filming technique that unifies them. There are numerous types of transitions, and each type will create a different response and emotion in the viewer.
  • Cut. The most common transition is the cut. This happens when one shot ends and is abruptly replaced with the new shot. Cuts are essential to the effects of juxtaposition and often exist because they are technically needed. Cuts are an industry standard, cost-effective, and less distracting than some other transitions.
  • Fade in/ Fade Out. Fade ins are when something gradually reveals a picture, often at the beginning of a movie. Fade outs are when the picture is slowly replaced by a solid color or black screen and are used at the end of a film. They are the most common transition but not often used by editors. Aside from the beginning or end of the film, they may be used sparingly to give the audience a moment to catch up after intense action.
  • Dissolve. Dissolve, also known as overlapping, occurs when one shot gradually disappears and is replaced by a new shot. For a few seconds, both shots are visible. This often is used to show the passage of time.
  • Wipes. A wipe is a dynamic technique when one shot pushes another out of the frame. Think of Star Wars, which used it throughout.
  • Iris. An old fashioned technique that is rarely now used when a circular masking closes the picture to a black screen. This mimics a closing aperture and was sometimes used in cartoons as well.
• Montage. A montage in film editing is when shots are juxtaposed at a quick pace that compresses time and information into a short period of time. There are several types of montages. An example of showing a voyage might use still pictures, sepia tones, slow-paced editing, orchestral music, and no dialogue. Another approach to showing a voyage might use video footage, quick shots with lots of cuts, house music, and narration. A montage is not effective in creating emotion in the audience and is used to inform the audience. An excellent example of a well-known montage is the famous training montage in Rocky.

What are the tools for film editing?

Video editing tools have evolved tremendously and have resulted in much of filmmaking now happening in post-production. A “rough cut” is now much closer to the final product, .often close in sound and visual effects, color correction, and music. They use a variety of film editing tools, including programs and equipment

Some tools the pros commonly use in post-production:

• Non-Linear Editor (NLE)

The standard for an NLE features timelines, media bins, and editing tools that help an editor stay organized. Prices for NLE’s have come down in recent years, and an NLE can be purchased for as little as $239 per year. This will let you handle special effects and complicated edits. Some top products are Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro. Your selection will depend upon your level of experience, your hardware, and your preferences. Some NLE’s offer free or trial versions, so it’s possible to test a few before you commit.

• Digital Audio Workstation ( DAW)

A digital audio workstation is a software app for editing audio from various sources. There are free programs that will work for small projects and more powerful pro-level projects. Again, test a few before you purchase. Some popular brands are Avid Pro Tools, Apple Logic Pro X, and Audacity.

• Closed- Captioning and Subtitling

Now trending is providing closed-captions and subtitles to make content accessible to the deaf or hard-of-hearing, or those who speak a foreign language. Closed captioning and subtitling can be a great differentiator for your work. Some NLE’s have this functionality built in. There are many programs, some that are even free.

• Editing Workstation

Good editing requires a monitor with high resolution, a large display, and good color accuracy. A powerful computer is also critical. Be sure to check the system requirements of any software you use.

• Audio Equipment

Your workstation must have great speakers and headphones. The speakers should have studio monitors and pro production speakers.

Remember, it all starts with a great script, and good videography is essential, but never underestimate the power of film editing. When you want the best in all three, consider a full-service film agency like C&I Studios.

Cinematography is about weaving together art and technique to visually tell your story in a way that moves or changes the audience. Our top video filming techniques will show you that it takes much more than equipment and a script to bring your story to life. Here are some top techniques to manage what the viewer sees and how they are viewing. These filming techniques will drive what the viewer sees and his interpretation of your visual story.

There are hundreds of experienced cinematography techniques to get just the right tone, image, and scene. Here are the essentials you’ll need to master to up your videography game and create a compelling and persuasive video and bring your story to life.

Planning – One of the most critical video filming techniques

A successful video starts with meticulous planning. Put together a storyboard and a shooting script to help you figure out what shots you’ll need before you even begin. This will inform you location, the equipment you’ll need, and much more. Time spent planning will save you time later on doing reshoots. This is also an excellent time to think of what B-roll footage you may need.

The rule of thirds

The “Rule of Thirds” can be used whenever you’re filming anything. Just imagine your shot is divided into nine sections by two horizontal and two vertical lines. Compose your shot, so the subject is positioned where two of the four anchor points meet. This draws the eye to the main point of interest in the shot. This rule can even be used in landscapes.

Some essential shots – filming techniques to add creativity

To make a great video, you must learn to play with various shots. Put yourself in the middle of the action to get great images. Many beginners shoot everything from a corner of the room or away from the action. Here are some top shots to experiment with to add variety and interest to your video.

• The long shot

The long, full, or wide shot is a closer shot of an area where the viewer can see what’s going on but are not yet emotionally involved in a scene. The subjects are closer to the camera but far enough away that their entire bodies are in view. They may be walking or crossing a street, for example. You can move in a little closer to a medium-long shot where the subject is seen from the knees up.

• The medium shot

The medium shot takes the viewer close, so it is more informative but still not emotionally involving the viewer. This might be a group scene with dialogue. Moving in closer shows a little more of the expressions and emotions of the actor.

• The close-up shot

With this shot, only the head or neck up are shown. We engage the viewer and create more impact by focusing on the actor’s expressions and not the background.

• Over the shoulder shot

This essential shot is used to add depth to a shot and to make conversational scenes seem natural. It shows an out-of-focus shoulder and head in the foreground while another person or object in the background is in focus.

• Tilt Shot

The tilt shot is simple to execute but can be very useful. Try to coordinate the careful upward or downward camera movement with the scene’s action to establish a wide-angle view of or slowly reveal something.

• Panning shot

The panning shot is the same as the tilt shot, but horizontal. It is used to show the surroundings and can be great when done smoothly and stably. It has to be perfectly executed to look natural and not distract the viewer.

• Zoom Shot

A zoom shot can be elegant when done slowly and smoothly. It increases the focus on a scene or object. Please don’t overdo it!

Hold it steady! Filming Techniques 101

The first mark of an amateur is a video that is shaky or has excess movement.

It’s easy for a beginner to become dependent upon a tripod, which means lugging extra gear, and frankly, sometimes just doesn’t work. Practice positioning yourself, so your breathing is not moving the camera. Take advantage of your surroundings to brace the camera – a wall, the ground, or other objects. This will also help you discover new visual perspectives and gives you the freedom to move around the scene or the subject.

Lighting – one of the often overlooked filming techniques

Shooting outside is often desirable or even required. Outdoor shooting brings the challenge of lighting that changes very quickly. Shoot with the sun behind you, which unfortunately puts your actors looking directly into the sun, but it is preferable to having them silhouetted against the sun.

An overcast day is often better for shooting as the lighting is more consistent. Plan your shoot with ample time to wait for just the right conditions and, if possible, scout your potential location before the shoot at the same time to look for distractions and monitor the lighting.

Indoor video shooting requires special preparation. They often require additional lighting to avoid making your videos too dark. When you are shooting people, you’ll want as much light in their faces as possible. Overhead lights can be deceiving and leave faces shadowy.

Lighting is about more than merely adding more light. Positioning the lighting is critical to getting a natural effect. The standard 3-light setup (one on the subject, a backlight, and a fill light) allows you to experiment to get more dramatic results.

Avoid “spotlighting” your subject

Try to avoid putting your subject in bright pools of direct light. It can ruin our contrast and cause reflections on the subject. If using a light ring, don’t just point it at your subject. Light the shot evenly and use a diffuser to reduce shadows

The importance of audio

Good audio is essential to a food video. It adds depth, complexity, and brings the story alive by complimenting the video. Less experienced videographers often overlook two vital points. Don’t forget to caption the audio. For example, if you are filming an event or a party, you likely won’t want a silent video. Beware of unwanted sounds around you, such as planes overhead, traffic, or fans. It is easy to overlook this, so be sure to monitor the sound around you to avoid getting unusable video.

Multiple takes

Be sure to do multiple takes of the action, particularly if doing an interview or scripted shot. This gives you back up, just in case, and allows for more flexibility in editing. Even if it seems flawless, do another take!

Go easy on the transitions and effects – the most often overused video filming techniques.

Beginners often overdo the zoom into their subject or panning across the horizon. Don’t make your viewer dizzy! Focus instead on the motion that is happening and let it take over the scene. Random zooms and pans will distract from the action. Zooms and pans are sometimes appropriate, but they should be used judiciously and be dictated by the action itself.

Our essential video filming techniques will be helpful to you, even if you’re working with a full-service video agency like C&I Studios. An informed client can better participate in the planning process, which means you’ll get the results you want.

Shooting photography in LA vs. NYC – What’s the difference?

Shooting photography in Los Angeles brings both opportunities and challenges that are not present when shooting in New York City. Beginning with content, New York is the mecca of street photography and the star of many epic films made on location. At the same time, Los Angeles, home of the entertainment industry, brings the lighting, weather, and Hollywood film culture that’s unique to the City Of Angels.

Photographers are always on the lookout for subjects, which often creates unique and moving street scenes. New York is famous for offering up amazing street scene after street scene. The “city that never sleeps” lends itself to photography in a unique way with its diversity and an ever-changing tableau of humanity.

Los Angeles brings a diversity of locations that go beyond street and urban photography to star a variety of sites that include sunny beaches, hillside vistas, arid deserts, exciting and culturally diverse street scenes, and carefully designed sound-stages and sets.

Lighting

Lighting is more nuanced than many realize, and can be volatile and fast-changing, particularly in Los Angeles. With an average of 320 sunny days annually, Los Angeles is likely to offer up what every photographer is looking for. It’s challenging to resist natural lighting, but it is essential to remember that natural light casts shadows and can change in a moment. Many people prefer a studio’s controlled environment but are lured outside by the fascinating range of locations that Los Angeles offers.

Winter skies and tall buildings can create low light conditions in NewYork City. These can result in beautiful images. The main issues are that longer shutter speed is required. This can result in camera shake (use a tripod) or underexposed images that lack shadow detail. Shooting landscapes when the light is low (the golden hour) can be ideal. Shooting in black and white can yield amazing photographs, once you learn to “see” in monochrome.

Shooting at night in New York City can be much more interesting than during the day. There is a glow that makes everything seem more vibrant and alive. The camera will pick up more than your eyes, and using long exposures, you may even get light trails in your nighttime image. Street scenes move very quickly, and finding the right balance of shutter speed and aperture to catch the perfect light for your image takes practice.

Locations

Los Angeles has a wildly diverse range of iconic locations and a coastline that spans miles, topography that includes the desert, sand dunes, and urban spots. The cultural centers and unique location opportunities are vast. As the film industry’s home, the city offers a rich talent pool and an excellent filming and photography infrastructure.

When it comes to filming, Los Angeles eclipses New York City in terms of the pure volume of TV and film being shot. Los Angeles offers most anything a photographer could want in terms of breathtaking vistas, a rich city underbelly, luxurious mansions, and lush city centers. Some of the most popular locations to shoot photography in Los Angeles are the famous Hollywood sign, Malibu and the iconic Malibu Pier, Venice Beach with all of its eccentricities, or the azure waters and rock formations of El Matador State Park. The many production companies and location scouts in Los Angeles will make it easy to cast your perfect location.

The City of New York has been home to many iconic films and offers a rich tableau of subjects and locations around every corner. From Times Square to Grand Central Station or the Empire State Building, or the gritty underbelly of New York, the city is awash with photographic opportunity. New York City is considered one of the top 10 cities for street photography in the world. It is full of iconic street images most any time during the night or day. It’s tough to find a scene in the city that is not full of distractions, and city shooting requires a unique talent and focuses on harnessing those distractions and weaving them into the photographic story. Whether its traffic, trains or the fabric of humanity, the opportunity to add to your story in New York is rich.

Some of the iconic locations that frequently find their way in front of the lenses are the Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Station, or the natural beauty and respite of Central Park. Some of the less recognizable locations are the multitude of New York streets, a plethora of local restaurants, or fashionable and trendy shops and ethnic neighborhoods. The Hamptons pull back the curtain on the charming and wealthy villages and hamlets of the super-rich just outside of the city.

Talent and Headshots

Looking at the difference between Los Angeles headshots and New York City headshots offers an interesting microcosm of some of the critical differences between shooting in these two robust and cultural cities.

Headshots done in NYC are often darker and more serious than those in LA. Even the wardrobe is different, with New Yorkers wearing more black and dark colors with a chic and minimalist feel. The images are often shot in a studio with more shadows and mood. You’ll see more natural light used and warmer tones in LA, with the subject on more colorful and provocative clothing. This tonality makes for an interesting contrast between the style and the tone of the two cities.

Weather and seasonality

Each season in New York is vastly unique. With the changes in weather come profound changes in lighting, temperature, the dress and posture of the people, and the landscape itself. The holidays bring the magic that is unique to NYC and a bustle that is palpable. Rains and harsh weather can be limiting in terms of ideal shooting conditions.

Of course, Los Angeles has its seasons as well, but it may take a true Angelino to catch the subtleties of the seasonality of this city. Seasonality puts few restrictions on your shooting but also limits much of the diversity, interest, and range that East Coast seasons can offer. Winter sunsets and sunrises in LA are legendary. With over 300 sunny days, the opportunities for year-round photography are ample.

Permits, licensing, and safety.

Some legal considerations that will apply whether shooting in NYC or Los Angeles.

When shooting simple photography in public, a model release is not always required but, be sensible. People are entitled to a “reasonable expectation of privacy.” In other words, no window peeping, and if a subject waves you off, respect that. When in doubt, ask and get a release.
Places considered “public” might not be! Theaters, shopping malls, or restaurants, for example, may have restrictions applied by the owner, which they have every right to do. Other “public” locations such as airports, museums, or courthouses may also have limitations. When in doubt, ask!
Talk to the film commission about any permitting or licensing required.

Safety tips

Be smart about where you shoot and how you carry yourself. Carrying lots of equipment or shooting in more deserted times and spots can make you a target. Use your head.

Be careful crossing streets, and watch for bicycles as well as cars.

Regardless of where you shoot, both New York and Los Angeles have very active film commissions that will provide guidance and direction on all you need to know about permitting, licensing, insurance, and more when shooting in New York City.

Whether you’re working on the West Coast or the East Coast, a full-service agency like C&I Studios will know how to select the best locations, lighting, timing, and talent for your photography shoot.

The 6 essential steps of a powerful advertising campaign

An advertising campaign is the most valuable marketing tool you’ll have in building your brand and your sales. Planning is key to creating an effective advertising campaign. Follow these top 6 steps to bring your message to life, get it in front of the right target audience, and get the most from your advertising and marketing budget. 

Learn about these six steps to a successful advertising campaign.

• Determine your advertising goals
• Identify your target audience
• Set your advertising budget and optimal campaign timing 
• Determine the advertising channels you’ll use.
• Create your message and design your creatives.
• Measure and analyze your results.

Determine your advertising goals.

This first step is the most important. In simple terms, ask yourself why you are running this campaign. What are your goals? Advertising campaigns are run for many reasons. Here are some common campaign objectives

• Finding new customers – Are you expanding into new markets or verticals, are targeting a new demographic?
• Building your brand awareness – Branding is critical to the success of any company. It is your statement and promise, both visually and intellectually, of what your company stands for. Your branding tells your potential clients what they can expect from you.
• Launch a new service or product – Are you expanding your services and products and launching or promoting these new products?
• Take advantage of seasonal opportunities – Many retail companies rely upon seasonality for the lift they need in product sales and will allocate much of their marketing dollars and efforts to these peak times. Some examples are Black Friday, the Christmas season, Cyber Monday, Presidents Day, or back to school.
• Your overarching goals – Regardless of your goal, your overarching goal of any campaign should always be to reach the right people with the right message at the right time, and get them to take action.

When setting your campaign goals, be sure to set very specific expectations and goals for your campaign. What is your sales goal, your impressions, or other results you are looking for? What would a successful campaign look like?

Identify your target audience.

Knowing your target audience will inform many decisions you’ll make about your advertising campaign. Look back to your stated advertising goal to help with this targeting. Are you targeting your current users, attracting influencers, or talking to the general consumer market?

Some examples of target audiences:

• Expanding into new geographic markets.
• Introducing a new product or service.
• Building brand awareness and reinforcing what it stands for.

Research and learn from your competition. Analyze what the leading brands are doing. Look at their messaging for clues to your competitive advantage.

Segment your audience so you can speak to them in precise and personal terms. If you are talking to everyone, you may not be resonating with anyone. 

Look for ways to take advantage of any opportunity to learn from your current customers. Find out they chose your product and what their impressions were. Always read your reviews and look for nuggets you can use in your promotion. Learn from your customer service team. What are your customers’ pain points, and what do they want from you? This will be your key to targeting your best prospects. In a nutshell, you want to know who your ideal buyer is, why they buy from you, and what they think of your products.

Set your advertising budget and optimal campaign timing 

Again your campaign goals will drive your budget decision. 

Are you running a holiday promotion that accounts for a substantial amount of your annual revenue or launching a continuous campaign to build your brand?

A full-service creative agency can be the best one-stop shopping to get the best and most comprehensive result for your advertising campaign. The right agency brings an entire team of talent. It can help define the campaign, and campaign goals will bring all the resources you’ll need like models, video equipment, creative direction, and can bring your vision to life in a way you can use again and again.

If you are creating and implementing an advertising campaign on your own or working with freelancers, remember to  

consider all costs like copywriting, design as well as the paid media when setting your budget.

Look at each advertising channel and consider how you can leverage a mix of organic (free) promotion and paid promotion such as Google or Facebook ads.

You will start the campaign with a detailed budget but carefully monitor each channel and be prepared to adjust. The great advantage of digital advertising is the ability to test and quickly adapt your messaging and mix.

Decide on which advertising channels will best reach your target? 

Once you understand your target, it is simple to create your media mix or a combination of media used, and each’s timing and frequency. Where does your target audience hang out? Be sure your tactics align with your target audience. 

Consider whether you will create a hub such as a landing page or microsite to focus on what action or step you want your audience to take. Another tip is to consider rolling out in phases to gain learning as you go and adapt accordingly. If one channel is outperforming the rest, be prepared to adjust.

Social media can be great for word-of-mouth and cost-effective. Just be consistent across all channels to create a synergy where the whole is greater than the parts.

Create your campaign message and design your creatives.

Use simple, relevant messaging to get your message out in a clear way. You may want to adapt messaging for specific segments, but your overall branding and messaging should be consistent in all channels. 

Some tips for creating effective messaging:

• Your creative should be designed to bring your product to life. Show the transformation your users will have, the end result they can expect, and how it looks in use. 
• Think in terms of the results your buyer will get and not your product features. Use the power of emotion to show or tell the audience how the product will satisfy a need. Talk benefits and use powerful and emotional buying motives.
• Look for consistency in fonts, logos, layouts, and color. 
• Use the same spokesperson, catchphrases, or music.
• Think carefully about the content, the structure and format, and the channel. 
• What is your unique value proposition (UVP?) This is the key to your product differentiation and often becomes part of your headline or slogan. 
• Be sure to adhere to any regulatory standards – FTC, FCC, FDA, that may apply to your product or media.
• Spend the time to get your headline right. Your headline is critical to your success and works the hardest.
• Don’t forget a call to action. What exactly do you want your audience to do next?

Measure and analyze.

Did you reach your goals? What worked and what didn’t work. What did you learn?

You set your goals upfront in terms of how to measure your campaign’s effectiveness. Carefully analyze each channel separately.

With digital marketing, we can measure most everything. Take the time to create a “post mortem” report to have a blueprint moving forward. Do more of the good stuff and learn from the stuff that didn’t work. If your campaign was not sales related, consider a survey to your target to see if they understood their message, if it was compelling, if it did their job.

Marketing is about learning. Follow these six steps to make your next campaign your most successful campaign.

The importance of product photography

As consumers, we all fall victim to information overload daily. We all want info served up to us in the most straightforward and most easily digestible form. Enter the product image. Your product images give your viewer a look into your product’s quality and insights into your brand. In our online world, the product photography is everywhere. With Amazon, Shopify, and so many other online sources, we see it daily. The right product image that is well presented immediately creates your first impression and shapes whether the viewer stays with you or discounts your product and moves on.

A good product image carries a heavy load in the marketing funnel and can either engage and convert clients or take you out of consideration. They will nurture your customer and edge them along to the buy decision. Good photography can increase your conversion rate since they become a view of your product’s perceived quality and value. Your product images must be spot on for your brand and target market in quality, content, color theme, and tone.

What is product photography?

Most purchases come from an emotional response to how a product will make them feel.

A 2018 study reports that product images had the largest impact on digital purchases, with 83% of respondents saying product images and photos were “very” or “extremely “influential in their buy decision. Sounds like a good place to invest your marketing dollars, doesn’t it?

Product photography uses the best photographic and creative processes to evoke emotion and showcase your product online and in the print world. Product photography must speak directly to your target audience with relevance and quality. The images are one of the most essential elements in your branding and should present a consistent view of your products across your website, social media, and all other digital and print advertising.

What are the two main types of product photography?

Product only images 

Product only images are a clear view of your product against a simple white background. They often feature the product from various angles to highlight the features and showcase the full use of the product in the best possible light. They are often photographed against a white background so you can show consistency across various views and other products. Many times, a product will require 10 or 12 images to represent your product adequately.

Lifestyle photos

Lifestyle or in context photos show your product being used and bring your products and brand to life. These shots are often used to tell more of a story and work well in social media, blog posts, or other digital marketing channels. They can let the viewer identify with the people or places and activity in your shots. This is the beginning of creating an emotional connection.

Specialty Shots

There are several shots in addition to the main product and lifestyle shots that may be useful in showcasing your product.

• Scale shots – These shots help your user get an idea of the size of the product.
• Detailed shots – These are close up views that will highlight specific features of the product
• Group shots – Group shots show groups of products together. Often they are related products or your product in a range of colors.
• Packaging – This is an image showing our product’s packaging. Packaging can support the quality and value of your product and manage your customers’ expectations. In may cases, packaging can be a selling point or a competitive advantage.

The basics of good product photography

There are a few golden rules of the product photography that apply to professional and amateur photographers alike. If you’re hiring an agency and professional photographers, understanding these basics will help you be a more discriminating client and make the best choice for your brand. If you have basic photography skills, these basics will help you stage, shoot, and process your product images.

Pick the right camera for the job

If you’re limited on budget and access to equipment, a good smartphone can do the job. Professional cameras are always preferable, but with some research and forethought, you can make this work with our phone smartphone camera. A pro will no have a range of equipment and lenses and will be able to accomplish shots that will not be possible for you. You won’t have the range of options offered by a DSLR camera, but you still can create compelling and attractive images.

The main settings you will work with are ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Your ISO is what controls your camera’s light sensitivity, so you’ll use a higher ISO on simmer lighting. Your aperture (or F-stop) controls your image’s depth of field or how much of the image stays in focus. A lower aperture will have a higher F-stop and keep more of the product in focus.

The third setting is shutter speed, which is how quickly the shutter opens and closes. Slower shutter speed can yield a very sharp image but is susceptible to blur from motion.

It’s all about lighting and focus. Use a tripos whether you are using a smartphone or a professional camera. On your smartphone, a setting you’ll use is autofocus, which helps direct the shot to feature your product. You will not use zoom and flash, since they will lower the image quality.

Filters should be avoided in your product photography but may be used later on social media like Instagram, Facebook, or applications where you seek special effects.

Setting up the right background

A good backdrop can highlight your product or add mood and style to the shot.

Your main options for a backdrop are:

• Lightbox – This is designed to produce soft light and background for your product.
• Sweep – This is a curved background that can be created at home with a sheet or poster board.
• Natural light or setting – Your product is highlighted in its natural setting. Lighting is perhaps the most essential element of your shoot. It impacts the visual appearance of your product.

Always consider your product and branding before making this decision

• Get your lighting right. 

Natural light is cheaper and easier to come by, but can be challenging with time constraints, the moving sun, and other elements. Artificial light is more consistent and easier to control

• Styling and composition

This decision will be based on your product and your brand. For example, food photography is often highly styled and makes use of overhead photography. They are styled with props and colors that will enhance the shoot. A professional photographer will bring this element to your shoot. 

• Editing

Editing is a big part of the process. Whether you are working in Canva, Adobe Photoshop, or using other tools to color balance, color correction, white balance, and do additional image editing to make the best of your photoshoot, there is only so much you can correct after the fact. 

Top pro hacks to look for in your product shoot.

Many photographers get creative and play around with producing unique images for you. 

Here are a few techniques we’ve seen used very effectively.

• Unusual Angles

Think outside of the box. It’s natural to place the camera at the same level as the product, but there are more creative ways to approach this. You don’t want an angle that will distort the image but experiment with shooting from below, offside, or from above. 

• Micro Shots

Get up close to feature detail and create an artsy image. These need the context of a traditional product shot but can add to the product’s emotion and branding.

• Interesting Backgrounds

A product rule of thumb is to use a plain background to keep the product front and center. But rules are meant to be broken. Find ways to stage unique background and props to add interest to your shot and separate your product from the pack. Backdrops can also be used to bring a sense of place to your shot. 

• Use a reflective surface to set our products on

Putting your product on a reflective surface can crate a stunning reflection that takes the interest of your shot up a notch. Lighting can be used to enhance the reflection further. Good editing will complete the effect. 

Do I need to invest in professional product photography?

Yes. If you can afford to hire a pro, you most certainly should. Your product and lifestyle images are some of the most critical elements of your marketing and will speak for you and your brand to clients who are not touching and seeing the product firsthand. They have a heavy load. 

Don’t underestimate the value of using good images in your marketing. Clear, crisp, and creative photos will improve your conversion rate and the performance of your marketing. Talk with a full-service agency like C&I Studios to see how they can tell your brand’s story and bring your products to life.

Why is content creation important?

Your social media strategy and social media content are among the biggest influencers. By incorporating these content creation tips for crafting engaging posts,  you can have on your audience, their connection with you, and, ultimately, their buying decisions.

Great content marketing can be the key to your success, regardless of whether your goals are growing your audience, increasing audience engagement, building your brand and brand presence, or driving sales.

Content marketing allows you to build trust and answer your audience’s questions. With the plethora of content available today on the web, your content must consistently bring value to your audience and be high-quality, devoid of poor writing and typos. In a word, you must produce killer content.

What is the goal of social media content?

• Social media content allows you to hone in on your customers’ needs and interests in a way that previously was not possible. Be that “fly on the wall” where they hang out, and to listen to what matters to them.
• Think of social media as a way to chat with your target people, engage with them, and then find more people like them. Engage. Listen. And, then create content that talks to their interests and problems.
• Create products that speak to their felt needs. Get the correct message out at the best possible time.
• Finally, an overarching benefit of stellar social media marketing and great original content is building brand awareness, brand voice, reinforcing your brand, and hone in on your target audience demographics.

In our guide to social media content and social media strategy below, we take you through content strategy basics, including content format, content analytics, and sharing content and some pro tips to help your social media content work for you!

What are the top benefits of excellent content marketing?

Build and retain your target audience

A steady flow of killer social content will be one of your business’ most important assets. Consistently create engaging, informative content relevant to your target audience, and they will be back again and again for more. Engage with them, make it easy for them to share your message, and you will build your tribe of fans. You are building more than a social network. You are building a community for your brand through your digital marketing.

Work to establish you and your site as an authority and trusted source in your niche.

Create content that is consistent in its messaging, that answers your audience’s needs and feels like you are speaking directly to them. Give them value without asking anything in return. You’ll soon be on the road to and audience that trusts and values you and your recommendations. That’s how a community is built.

Lead generation

Content marketing is an excellent opportunity to turn followers and fans into customers. If they like and trust your content, they will be likely to buy from you at some point. Create the funnel by offering free high-value opt-ins, or lead magnets in return for their email. You are now beginning to build a list of your followers. Add CTA’s in your content, on your hello bar, in pop-ups, or side panel. Be sure it is super simple for your readers to take advantage of your great extras. Lead readers to a landing page, where you can eventually upsell to an entry-level product known as a tripwire. The more relevant and powerful your content is, the easier to transition your readers to leads and customers.

SEO Ranking and authority

The more often you produce high-quality content, the more it will help your SEO efforts. Create content that is targeted to your niche, using well-researched SEO terms, and you’ll be paving the way to becoming a trusted authority in your niche and to great Google rankings.

Content Strategy 101

Good content flows from a solid content strategy. One or two posts that get substantial organic traffic can be a fantastic source of traffic and leads to your site and will allow you to embed your site link to a lead generating opt-in that will ensure list and audience building. Knowing what and when to publish is the key to a social media strategy that will connect with your audience, solve their needs, increase your reach, and build your brand visibility.

Content Creation Tips for building your content strategy

Before you start creating great content, you need a digital plan that includes a social media marketing strategy. Your strategy must be well planned out and based on your target audience, their needs, and their habits and how they will support your marketing goals and business objective. Think about the importance of evergreen content that can continue to bring your traffic, and the careful use of keywords to establish you within your niche and help your readers solve their problems.

If you already have created some sort of social media strategy, you should revisit it annually. Platforms change, the market changes, and your business goals will likely change. Competition changes, and your place in the market changes.

If you are active on social media, take the time to audit all of your channels. Which channels are active and growing and which are stagnant. If a channel is not performing well, is it because you have not been posting there, or is it the wrong channel for your target audience? Make the time to put together a solid content marketing plan to establish or maintain your relevance in your target market.

What is a content strategy?

A content strategy starts with establishing a clear picture of your target audience. Who are they, what do they need, and how can I help them? This data will help determine the optimum channels to focus on and what type of content will best engage them. From that, you will build a content plan that will serve as your blueprint. Did you know that in 2016, visual content was more than 40X more likely to get shared on social media than other types of content? (buffer.com)

What felt need are you solving for them?

Start here. If your target is too broad, a great first step is to survey your audience. When we try to serve everyone, we sometimes serve no one. Get clear on the problem your target audience and potential customer most needs to address. This information will help you niche it down and get very specific with your content. 

Sometimes, your content will educate your audience and help identify their problems. Other times, it may help them to address and work through their problem. Your content curation must be based on your ongoing engagement with your target audience. What works? What content are they engaging with? Use your social media analytics, google search volume, sign up rates, and other metrics to inform your content strategy as you move along. 

Why are you worth your readers’ time?

There are millions of blogs and information sources on the web. Your goal is to communicate with your potential customers as quickly and clearly as possible why you are worth your readers’ time. How can you help them? Will you inform, entertain, guide them through something that matters to them?

Pin down your unique selling propositions (UVP’s) and use them! You aren’t the only game in town. Tell your readers why your products or services are better than anything out there, or how you are different. Prove that you are worth the gift of your readers’ time. 

What formats will you use?

A complete understanding of your audience will help you in the next decisions. There are many ways beyond a blog post to reach and engage an audience. Think about the best format for your potential audience. Will you work mostly in blog posts, can you create short videos or populate your blogs with infographics to illustrate your key points? 

Facebook is excellent for text, image, video, and links, whereas Instagram is limited to images and videos. Twitter works for text, image, and video, while interest is great for image, video, and links. LinkedIn has its place with text and links. Take all of your findings into consideration as part of your plan. What’s the best way to tell your story to your particular audience? It is often a mix of media that best keeps people engaged, Experiment, and see what works for them.

Don’t overlook the competition. Where are they active? Do a search of each channel for your niche keywords and see who is active there. You may uncover some new competition. When you search on Google, don’t overlook both paid and organic. Set your Google Alerts for your keywords and review your competition’s social media presence, logging their friends, followers, posting schedule, and engagement and learning from them. Can you replicate, improve, or change their strategies?

Where do your people hang out? 

Audience demographics provide great insight into the next topic. Use your analytics from your website as well as your social platforms. Confirm your convictions about who your audience is. If your audience skews slightly older, they may hang out on Facebook. A younger group may be more Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. 

Don’t waste time being where your target audience isn’t. There are many platforms out there. You do not have to be active on all of them. Choose the social media channels that will be most effective for your audience and your product or service. Consider the use of both channels you own, like your website, blog, and email list. And work on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube are more. Do the research and find out where your people are. 

PRO Tips for Optimizing the Right Metrics

1. Ensure your content aligns with your social media metrics and goals. You need to understand the end goal before you can decide what to measure. 

• Want to generate traffic? Measure the unique visitors coming from social websites as a result of your campaigns.
• Want to build a following? Your key metric is subscribers and followers on your social channels.
• Are you looking for interaction with your potential customers? You should measure the quantity and type of commentary you see, such as Facebook comments, Twitter replies, likes, and sign-ups.
• Is revenue your end game? (isn’t it always eventually?!) Measure the dollar value of every lead generated from each social post. Follow the lead of big brands and measure and analyze everything. 

2. Find out where your customers talk and get in there! 

Do your research and find the best place for you to engage with your people. Look at what they are commenting on and engaging with and do that, but better! Don’t overlook the importance of groups as a great place to find your avatar hanging out. Create content that your people will want to talk about and share and make it super easy for them to share. 

Be “the fly on the wall” Listen in on your customers via social media and get to know them. 

3. When developing your content calendar, use the data from your social media channels and data from the marketplace. 

• What is the market mood right now? For example, COVID19 has changed the way we learn and the way we do just about everything. How about an online challenge or course?
• What are today’s relevant issues? Does your audience want to know about when they can next travel to your destination or create a safe staycation? Do they want to learn about homeschooling the kids or how they can find online work for themselves? Give them what they want. 
• Do competitive research. Why recreate the wheel? Research your competition and see if you can improve on what is working for them. 
• Where is your audience showing interest? Do you notice a topic that surfaces again and again? Does it look like videos always create more engagement, comment, and sharing? Look for the patterns and get ahead of the curve with your content and format. 

4. Don’t just talk about engagement. 

A great way to engage with your audience in a meaningful way is to be responsive in real-time with authentic and throughout responses. People love having a personalized reply. Be genuine and prompt in responding to comments and questions, and you’ll soon have a loyal fan. Others see it and read it too, so let your responses be your ambassador. 

5. Stay informed of what is happening on platforms. 

This means staying on top of Facebook changes. Set a Google Alert to be sure you know what’s happening and what it will mean to you. Get to know how to work with the New Google Analytics Social Reports. You’ll find lots of great insights into Data Hub Activity and Trackbacks. You’ll see how people are talking about your site content and what they are sharing. You’ll also see the sites that are linking to your content. Backlines rule, so try to build a relationship with others in your space, or complimentary space and be responsive to them.

6. Illustrate your content! 

Harness the power of infographics! An infographic is a graphic visual representation of information or data present information quickly and clearly. A picture is worth a thousand words. Infographics are shared more on the web, Twitter, and Facebook more often than any other content. They’re easy to read and consume, and people like to share them.

7. This one can’t be said enough. 

Your blog MUST be mobile-friendly. Mobile is king, so make your mobile content valuable and concise. Keep your landing pages simple, and make sure your site is designed for multiple browsers and provide a link to the full site. Focus on the mobile user experience and make speed your top priority.

Filming A Video Production While Abroad

Filming on location always brings fantastic opportunities for stunning or high impact backdrops. When filming abroad, you have a chance to also showcase different cultures and film people and products immersed in their own culture. Filming abroad does bring a host of new hurdles and challenges, but the rewards of shooting abroad are many. The best way to have a successful shoot abroad is through planning, preparation, and more planning.

Keys to planning a shoot abroad

Pre-travel Prep and planning

If there is one tip that will ensure the best chance for a successful film production abroad, it is the pre-travel preparation and planning.

• Understand the project goals – The time for the client and creative brainstorming is well before any travel plans are made. Take the time for a final review of the goals and expectations for the production and the budget. Create a solid production calendar reflecting any local holidays, deadlines, indicating weekends and weekdays, critical tasks such as hiring the crew and talent, arranging visas and vaccinations, and all other deadlines. Then pad it. Expect the unexpected.
• Understand the destination – Do your research and be sure you have a basic knowledge of the countries you’ll be traveling to. Many countries have unique laws and regulations. For example, there are some countries that limit the number of cameras you can bring. Learn the entry requirements for every country in your shoot, and the distances between locations. Ask about the time required to secure any visas and required immunizations and carnets.
• Local film commissions can be a wealth of knowledge and very helpful. Contact your destinations’ film commissions or destination organizations to ask about any possible tax incentives they may provide for U.S. productions. Review any rules and ask for help with local talent and crew, permitting, or other challenges. Start with reaching out to the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI). They will get you in touch with any local commissions or organizations that can be helpful. Ask about any tax back rebated or even discounted airfares. They can also help you with local crew and film equipment rentals.

Documentation 

The quickest way to get off on the wrong foot is not to have all of your documentation in order. Here are the basics. Use this as your checklist to make sure nothing is overlooked, and deadlines are met.

• Ensure everyone in your production crew traveling with you has a valid passport in order with six months left on it. Check the nationality and docs of your entire crew and cast and review all visa applications to ensure they are in order. Make copies of everyone’s passports.
  Bring contact details for all crew and talent, including emergency contacts, just in case.
• Learn about required local laws, filming permits, fees, and how long they take for approval. Your permit application will likely be in the local language, so be sure to get a translation service to be sure you fully understand the permit.
• As in the United States, you will need release forms to get legal consent to use the footage any people may appear in. Consider any language differences and bring translations of the forms.
• Secure your carnet if that applies – See below.
• Insurance – Get the best you can afford for you and your insurance and be sure you understand the coverage.
• Language translation services are critical so be sure you understand all the documentation, permits, and releases you will be using. Get them translated from or into the native language when appropriate.

When will you need a carnet?

A carnet is an important document that allows you to travel across borders with your equipment without paying import duty or taxes every time you enter or leave a country. Import fees can be very high, and the inconvenience and delays can be significant. There are 80 participating ATA countries, so check to see if your destination is included.

Contact either your local film commission or your destination, and they can assist and direct you to a broker to arrange this. Budget for the cost of your carnet and don’t wait until the last minute. You may be asked to guarantee up to 40% of the equipment value, which will be returned if no claims are made on the equipment. A carnet is valid for one year. If you lose equipment, it will be charged against your carnet. A carnet costs $500 or more depending on the equipment’s value and the countries you’re visiting.

Tips for Traveling with Your Production Gear

Avoid the urge to bring it all! Airline baggage fees can be costly, and lugging extra equipment can be a chore. Be sure to check with the airline, so there are no surprises at the airport. Bring only what you need, and remember, you can usually rent equipment in the destination if a need comes up.

Consider hiring some of your equipment from a local production company in your destination country to lug less and avoid excess baggage charges.

Bring your own camera lenses, hard drives, computer equipment, etc., and rent boom poles, tripods, lighting, microphones.

Spend the money on hard cases to protect your equipment. Airlines can be rough on gear, and it will be moved many times during the trip. Check with the airlines on their size limitations.

Check with customs before you travel. You may be able to pre-clear your equipment. Bring proof of the U.S. purchase of your equipment just in case.

Bring extra batteries. Power and charging opportunities may be limited. Know the voltage requirements. Be sure your charger is good for 110 and 220 volts and bring a plug adapter. Don’t forget to bring extra memory cards

Getting There

• Flights – Forget about first class unless you have an unlimited budget. Save it for production! Always book flights as far in advance as possible for best rates and to minimize connections – the less your equipment is handled, the better.
• Baggage limitations – Speak to the airline about their limits and costs for excess baggage. Avoid the urge to bring everything “just in case!” Essentials only. Ask if the airline will give you a break on your equipment.
• Try to book accommodations as close to your filming location as possible to minimize travel expenses and time. If that is not possible, get close to the main transport to keep travel costs down. Don’t overlook the hotel staff- they may be helpful with special requests like storing your gear, or tips for getting around, or a good and affordable meal.
• Remember to budget for airport transfers. It may make sense to hire a car to get around.
• Try to hire a fixer to help with local knowledge, cultural issues or differences, setting up craft services, and other things you need to keep your production running smoothly. Consider working with a local production company as an alternative.

Dress for comfort

• Check the weather and the terrain before you go. Monitor it for a few days.
• If your destination is cold, be sure to bring a warm and waterproof coat. And lots of layers.
• If your destination is warm, bring natural, breathable fabrics, and again, lots of layers.
• Don’t forget your sunscreen, hat and lip balm, and in some cases, bug spray.
• The right footwear is essential. It is not the time for high fashion. Bring sturdy and comfortable shoes or boots that suit the terrain.

Editing Tips While Abroad

If you want to do some editing on the fly, there are ways you can edit and create an outstanding video with your laptop. Here are a couple of editing tips for when away from your editing bay.

• Be sure to log and archive your footage well.
• Consider using an external SSD in a protective case when traveling.
• Shoot what you need, and then add a lot more! You don’t want to come up short in the editing room when you get home.

Final Tips for Success Shooting Video Abroad

Always expect the unexpected. When it comes to your production budget, add something for unplanned extras like tolls, tipping, unexpected transportation, medical expenses, or equipment repair.

Be respectful and plan for local customs. You may need to shut down, shooting for an hour at lunch each day for a leisurely meal. Plan your schedule accordingly.

Best lenses for Filmmaking in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the mecca of the entertainment industry. Video production in Los Angeles is the backbone of the excellent content you’ll find on TV, in theaters, and on social media. Any production company’s goals and specialties are specific, and they may be for pure entertainment, to sell a product or service, or to introduce a brand.

Any Video production company in Los Angeles or anywhere in the world will call upon a series of lenses to create precisely the right effect and mood when shooting. The diversity of locations in Los Angeles that range from sunny beachfront, hillside vistas, seedy street scenes, and or carefully lit soundstage require that a great production company rely upon an arsenal of lenses to bring your idea to life.

Filmmakers use dozens of lenses, ranging from basic functionality and affordability, to super sophisticated with a price tag to match. Our guide to lenses filmmakers use will walk you through the basics of lens types and some factors to consider when choosing a lens.

Video production companies in Los Angeles 

Video production companies in Los Angeles will often specialize in videos, such as VFX, which are visual effects, music videos, or documentaries. Shop around, so your project does not get pushed in a direction that does not fulfill your vision. 

You’ll have no difficulty finding a full-service agency like C&I Studios that brings expertise across various projects, including product videos, music videos, and brand introduction or promotion. 

Types of lenses

One of the most critical decisions a filmmaker will make is his choice of lenses. There are some basic lenses that a serious filmmaker should have. Most good video production companies are fortunate enough to have a budget that allows for an extensive collection of lenses that will provide tons of options to the videographers in creating their films. An independent videographer will need to be more selective in building their set of lenses. Some may work with as few as two lenses.

Any videographer will need a basic understanding of the main types of lenses used in filmmaking, even though they may not have the luxury of buying all of them. Understanding the options and how they are used will provide a vision of what’s possible and a wish list for moving forward.

Here is our primer on the basic types of lenses used on filmmaking and an overview of how and when they are used. 

Prime Lenses

Prime lenses, which are also known as fixed focal length lenses do not have zoom capability. So if a filmmaker wants a tighter shot of their subject, they will need to move closer to the subject or change out to a lens with a longer focal view and a narrower field of view such as a telephoto lens. Conversely, for a wider view, they would move the camera away from their subject or change out to a lens with a shorter focal length and wider view, such as a wide-angle lens.

Although it can be inconvenient to change out lenses during a shoot, prime lenses provide a superior quality image. Many pros prefer using prime lenses. 

Zoom Lenses

Zoom lenses, or varied focal length lenses, are very popular with most consumers. Many video cameras come equipped with a zoom because it makes it convenient to go wide-angle or telephoto quickly. This saves time and the trouble of constant lens cleaning.

For a videographer who is doing interviews, or documentaries, there is often no option for second takes and changing lens, so this is often the lens of choice. They will be sacrificing the image quality they would get with prime lenses, and most filmmakers will stick with prime lenses unless they are going for a very specific effect. 

Telephoto Lenses

Telephoto lenses are longer than a prime and can get a very tight shot on a subject, showing fine details even for a subject that is far away. Telephoto lenses make people and objects appear closer together than they are. An example of good use of this lens would be shooting a freeway scene where you want actors to appear running close to cars. 

A challenge of using a telephoto lens is that any shakiness or movement will be more noticeable. Think about it! Even if the camera moves only slightly, the framing can move much more. A tripod is always recommended, if possible. This lens is excellent for tight shots, closeups, and shallow depth of field to produce a soft focus. 

Wide-Angle Lenses

A wide-angle lens, also known as a short lens, could be considered the opposite of a telephoto. They have a broad field of vision and are great to show sweeping vistas like mountains or oceans. There is negligible shakiness with a wide-angle, so this is a great choice when the working handheld is necessary. 

The depth can be exaggerated with a wide-angel and can make subjects appear farther apart and make your subject look heavier! Use this lens for wide or long shots. 

Factors to consider when choosing a lens 

The investment a filmmaker makes in getting the right lenses is just as important as buying a camera body. A lens can also last for many years, while camera bodies change every year. Once you have decided what kind of lens you want, there are many review sites that will take you through various brands and price points. Take a look at our overview below to help you decide the best options and essential features for the kind of filming you plan to do and your budget. You may not be able to go “high-end,” but there are many lower-priced options and workarounds that will support the result you are looking for. Some of the key features you will want to consider are explained below.

• Mount system

It seems basic, but critical consideration is what cameras you are using and plan to use in the future. Each camera maker has a different mount system to connect their lenses to the camera, known as the mount. Some lens will pair only to their brand camera, and some are interchangeable. This is one of the first things you must consider when investing in a lens. You should be forward-looking and also think about what camera you may use in the future as you upgrade your equipment. Compatibility is key! 

• Focal length 

The focal length will be the next big decision. It is one of the main factors that will determine what your image looks like and is a key in how your story unfolds on video. The focal length is expressed in millimeters, with a lower number being a wider angle, and capturing more of the scene. Lenses in the range of 20mm to 100mm are used a lot in the video, and 50mm comes closer to a normal human eye’s view. A zoom will cover a range of focal lengths. 

• Effective Focal Length (EFL)

What is “effective focal length”? Your camera has a sensor that can increase the effective focal length of your lens. This is a result of a crop factor. Be sure you know your camera’s crop factor, so you are getting what you think you’re getting!

• Prime vs. Zoom

We talked about prime vs. zoom above. A prime lens has a fixed focal length while a zoom can cover a range of lengths. Prime lenses will have a faster maximum aperture and get you clearer images. Zooms are usually more expensive, but they can take the place of several lenses, so factor that into your planning. Zooms can be internal zooming and external zooming with external zooming lenses being more affordable. Remember, both prime and zoom lenses have advantages and disadvantages, so your decision should be based on the type of filmmaking you plan to do and your budget. 

• Aperture

The aperture is the opening in a lens that lets light into our camera. You will hear the size of this aperture expressed as the F-stop of the lens. A smaller F-stop will allow for a wider opening, allowing more light in. A wider aperture will also make your depth of field more shallow. If you see an image with a sharp focus on the subject but blurred background, this would be the sign of an open aperture like f/2.8.

Zoom lenses often have a fixed aperture, which is easier to work with, but they will be more expensive. Adjusting an aperture can make a huge difference in the cinematic effect a filmmaker gets. 

• Sensor Size

The sensor format of your camera is essential. The main types of formats are full-frame, APS-C and Super 35, and Micro Four Thirds (MFT.) 

Full frame sensors are the largest and work on any camera. They cover the smaller sensor. But a lens for a crop sensor used on a full-frame camera will result in vignetting your image. A lens with full-frame coverage is more versatile and more expensive.

• Adapters

Adapters are used to attach your lens to your camera if it is made for a different mount than what you have. They come in many combinations but are not without drawbacks. Sensor size will still need to be considered, and most adapters do not allow for digital communications. This means you can’t use autofocus and may even be unable to change the aperture. So be careful with this decision. An adapter can also affect the light coming in and can cost you a full F-Stop on exposure. Think through the drawbacks and weigh them against the convenience. 

• Cine Lenses 

Cine lenses are different than still lenses in that they are more robust, have a longer focus, and manual apertures. They are made for use in bad weather and are more costly than a still lens. 

Aperture on a cine lens is expressed in T-stops rather than F-stops. T-stops express how much light is hitting the sensor vs. how wide the aperture is. This provides a more consistent control. Cine primes are more affordable than cine zooms. 

Special Options for lenses

• AF or autofocus can be useful but is used more in stills than videos. AF will lock your camera on an object and keep it in focus. 
• IS or image stabilization can be very helpful in taking the shakiness out of some of your videos when doing handheld work. It can be convenient but is not a replacement for a Steadicam or gimbal. 
•  Aperture Control: Many older lenses had a ring for manual control of aperture, much like a focus ring. This can be great when your camera does not have digital communication, and most Cine lenses offer manual aperture control. 

There are many decisions to make when selecting the right lens, which can be a considerable investment. Start with a clear view of how you plan to use it and what kind of projects you’ll focus on. Think about the best lens for closeup work, for video interviews, special effects like a blurred background, and whether your work will be indoors or outdoors? Most lenses will cover a range, but you want to be sure you pick a lens that is most in your zone. 

Be sure you have a full understanding of your camera system, and it’s specs. Think about the benefits and drawbacks of each lens, and of course, don’t leave the house without a reasonable idea of your budget. 

Now that you understand the basics, its time to start your shopping! As an informed consumer, you can be discerning in weighing out the features and benefits, limitations, pricing, and reputation of the many products you’ll have to choose from. 

If your video project is commercial and will be representing you and your products and services, you’ll want to make the best impression possible. 

When it comes to video production in Los Angeles, there are many choices. Be sure to work with a full-service company like C&I Studios, who will be able to bring the right talent, skills, and equipment together to bring your vision to life. 

How to Make Good Product Videos

Great product videos are one of the best ways to introduce, promote, or market your products and your message. Product videos are sharable, affordable, and according to Hubspot 2020, will increase the chance of a purchase by 144%. A high-quality video will let you compete across all platforms – Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and more, and can be used in paid, organic, affiliate, or social channels. Our tips will show you how to make a great product video that will help you inform, convert, and sell. 

Why create product videos? 

Video, in a nutshell, is an extremely compelling way to reach and engage your target audience. Video engagement on mobile is very high, and YouTube’s reach is enormous. According to SEO expert Neil Patel, Google loves videos, and they currently appear in 70% of the top 100 search listings. It may be time you got in the game with a killer product video. 

What are your product video goals?

Your first step in creating a killer product video is to be clear on your project’s goals. Product videos are used in various ways at different points in the client journey. Some ways a product video can be used are building brand awareness, introducing a new product, generating leads, education to promote usage and retention with past clients. This decision will often dictate the tone and type of video you make and the all-important call to action. 

The second part of understanding your goals is to be clear about who you are talking to. Remember, when you are talking to everyone, you are often talking to no one. Identify that one perfect customer, and use the tone and language that will most resonate for him to increase the relevance and effectiveness of your product video.

What story is your product video going to tell?

Storytelling is fundamental to any good product video. Use words, images, and sounds to harness emotion and take the viewer on a quick and precise journey. Make it personal and put your product into a context where a viewer sees a familiar problem, and your product is the star that solves that problem. Talk to them, not at them, and be clear on how your product will make their life better. 

Avoid the common pitfall of talking features! Your viewer wants to know what it means to them, and your job is to show them in an engaging and sometimes entertaining way. 

What style of product video are you making?

Three basic types of product video formats are commonly used. An on-camera demonstration might feature you or an actor and is a great way to show your product in action, such as an exercise machine or cooking product. Remember, context is everything. “How does it help me?”

Voiceover videos are also a very common way to showcase a product, as are videos that use titles and captions. Your decision will be driven by the nature of your product or service and your budget. 

Tips for creating a great product video

• Planning your video

The planning stage includes clarifying the project goals, deciding on the budget, production timeline, and video format. This is the time to brainstorm ideas and think about how the video will be used moving forward. You’ll want to have your overall marketing of the video in mind before you move forward. 

Now is the time to work with your video production company to decide the best way to increase trust, engagement, and conversion with your target audience. 

• Scripting your Video

Your script and your storyboard will happen hand-in-hand. A good creative team will need to understand your product, the unique value your product can bring, and how it will transform a user. They will know the goals of this project and how the video will fit into your marketing plan. A talented team will weave these elements together into an engaging, concise, informative, and persuasive way to tell your story.

Be sure you have clearly explained the product and what it will do for them. Use captions, messaging, and other cues to help tell your story. Don’t assume they know anything about the product and break it down, so it is super clear. Tell the story, tie it up, and then tell them what to do next. What do you want them to do? Contact you, buy a product, visit your site? That is your call to action.

Your script is the backbone of the video. Think about it like a movie. Create conflict (the problem your product solves). Set the conflict up in a way that is relevant to your target audience. Present our project as the solution to that challenge. Be sure your unique value proposition is front and center. 

Depending on your video’s purpose, you may want to add a unique value or discount for the viewers of the video. Consider adding that at the end where you can later easily remove it. It can be something of value to the viewer or a special rate specific to those who have seen this offer. 

This is not a place to be longwinded! Pare it down and stick to the essential points to tell your story. Pare it down!! Be sure the language, the tone, the imagery, and the feel of your video are consistent with your brand. Make space for logos, standard imagery you may use, and any other pointers to your brand. 

• Shooting your product Video

Once you have agreed in concept with the script and the storyboard, the shoot will take place. A good video production company will carefully pick the best location and video for your format. They will shoot extra video footage to allow for choices in the editing room to help you get your story told perfectly. Remember, engagement is everything, so be human and have a conversation with your potential customer. 

• Sound

Music or other sound elements can transform a video project. An upbeat song with happy music certainly creates a different vibe than what you may want for more serious products. If you are using voiceovers, don’t add music that is going to compete with the content. Beware any ambient noise or soundtrack instructions. If you are using Facebook, remember that Facebook required the viewer to click for sound. Will your video get attention without sound?

PRO TIP – Your production company will ensure they acquire rights to any music used in the video.

• Bring your brand forward.

Bring the personality of your brand forward. Your brand must be consistent in all of your marketing platforms and showcase your brands look and feel. Use proper logos, consistent language and, and maintain a tone and style that your fans will recognize. 

• Call to Action 

Once you’ve told your story, it’s time to wrap up. We need to tell your viewer what we want them to do now! This is called providing a call-to-action. 

What do we want them to do? You need to tell your viewers if you want them to download, buy, subscribe, call, or visit your website. There are several ways to show your call to action. You may want to choose one method or combine several.

• Title cards can be added to the end of your video.
• A voiceover on camera can be added and can bring continuity to what they have heard during the spot. 
• You can add a call-to-action button on the video so the viewer can click on it. (This option is not going to be available with all platforms. 

How to create a video marketing strategy

Your video is only as good as your promotion of it. Be sure your video is produced with SEO in mind. It should have a well-written description that is tagged with relevant keywords and help boost it. 

Create a great title and promote it everywhere.

Once your video has been perfected, get the most out of your investment by using your video to tell your story across all platforms. 

• Include your video on your website homepage. 
• Create a landing page that sets up the video and point any ads from there.
• Syndicate this out to Facebook and other social media using ads and organic promotion and taking them back to your landing page. 
• Many people host their videos on YouTube. Remember, this will take them off your page, though. 

A well-produced video can be the key to taking your digital marketing to a new level. Video is an amazingly effective way to tell your story, but it needs to be well done. That means the casting, the scripting, the production, the music, and the location all need to work together to tell your product’s story. 

Your marketing video needs to be responsive to mobile devices and of high quality. Invest in an experienced video production company like C&I Studios to bring your product to life!

The importance of audio engineering and mixing on a video production can easily be overlooked. This oft-overlooked element of your creation is powerful and can be as important to your brand as a logo or tagline, and as important as the video content itself.

Music or sound is often tied to an emotion that can transport us in time or propel us along a new journey. The right sounds can set the mood for your production or help your video teach, transform, or inspire your audience. Think about the roar of a Harley or the tinkle of ice in a perfect crystal cocktail. Just a couple of short sounds and the audience is transported.

Finding the perfect music to marry with your video is an art. And picking those few notes that work, at just the right time and the right level, is what sound engineering is all about. It may be only those few perfect notes or an entire symphony.

When thinking about the soundtrack of your production, there is much more to think about than music. The voiceovers must be perfect, the ambient sound managed and sometimes brought forward to star in your production, and any music perfectly timed and applied. There is never just one take! Excellent editing skills and the best editing technology are essential.

When it comes to sound on your video, audio clarity is critical. You may not notice perfect audio clarity, but you will undoubtedly notice poor audio clarity. It has ruined many a production. While the technical aspects of audio engineering and mixing are very complex and exacting, it’s the art of mixing and working with the producer to get the perfect sound that will fulfill the creative vision, and that sets good audio engineering apart.

Every production company does not have sophisticated audio engineering and mixing capability. When deciding on a production partner, ask about these capabilities, and meet the team. Quality sound can make or break your project.

A top agency like C&I Studios will be proud of their audio engineering team and will be happy to showcase some of their work or share behind the scenes videos with you.

What Is A Sound or Audio Engineer 

Audio engineers, also known as sound engineering technicians, work on software and equipment that records, mixes, or reproduces music, sounds, voices, and sound effects. They record the actors, athletes, or other sounds of video production to create one cohesive final soundtrack that helps deliver audio quality the message or story a video sets out to tell.  

What is sound editing?

Sound editing is collecting the sounds that are needed for any video production. The editor is a creative, who will select and compile any sounds and sound effects required, to prepare them for audio mixing and mastering. Their job is to deliver high-quality audio based on sound video editing. 

There are several techniques for audio editing, depending upon the sophistication and tools available to the editor. These techniques are burning the audio onto a disk, copying it to a drive, or fading. 

Some terms you’ll hear in a sound studio that describe the audio process include adjusting gain, which refers to the sound level and keyframing levels, which applies to secondary audio, which is often music. Editing will address background noise or ambient sound. Even though the unexpected is planned for, there are always surprises like a plane overhead or an air conditioning unit that kicks in at an inconvenient time. So an editor will “de-noise” the audio. 

You’ll also hear about crossfades. This is the sound equivalent of video fade-ins and fade-outs and is usually just a few frames long. Finally, you’ll hear about panning, which means panning the audio along with the video creating a natural feeling of movement with the action and building suspense or interest in the action. 

What is Audio Mixing and Mastering

Audio production is an essential part of the overall video production process in which all the individual elements create the cohesive whole of a video that transforms or moves the audience and fulfills the client’s creative vision. Mixing and mastering are two equally crucial basic core audio production functions. People often confuse the two elements as the difference can be subtle. It is possible to have a good mix and a poor master and vice versa. 

Mixing takes place before mastering and involves adjusting various tracks to produce an audio file. That file is then mastered, which makes sure all of the sounds are polished and work together. 

The audio mixer is often on the set and will process the sound in post-production. They may use multiple mics, creating several layers of audio that can then be split. 

What audio equipment does an audio engineer use?

An audio engineer will perform various functions like recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. Studios are mostly digital these days. He will rely upon several tools to do this. He will need microphones, good headphones, a console or mixing board, computers, and various software packages. A sophisticated studio will have an array of equipment beyond the basics to allow them to be more efficient, nuanced and professional 

Can a mastering engineer correct a poor quality mix on a song or audio track? 

A good video production company will focus on getting it right from the start. That’s why you’ll see multiple takes on the set, even though the variance seems to be so subtle. Multiple takes allow both the video editor and the audio editor to find the best possible takes for the final product. 

A mastering engineer can “fix” certain things. He will likely “hear” things in a studio that were missed on set. Mastering can improve the sound quality of an audio track, and put the emphasis on or off certain parts of the audio. They can also address tonal imbalances. They may notice pops or other unwanted noise, The mastering engineer will use the tools they have to work around any problems, but it’s always desirable for these “fixes” to be minimal and that you get it right from the start. 

What is the difference between audio engineering and acoustic engineering?

An important distinction between an audio engineer and an acoustic engineer is that while they are both involved in creating good sound, specifically music, an audio engineer will deal with all aspects of audio. In contrast, sound designers focus on the specific job of designing sound for films, games, or Television.

What training do audio engineers have?

Audio engineers working on the creative side of the business, such as with films and music, come from a mix of backgrounds. They may train in audio, fine arts, music, broadcasting, or electrical engineering. Many colleges offer education in audio engineering and sound recording. On-the-job training is essential, and many audio engineers have not formal training. 

Audio engineers do also work in research and development. They will usually have a degree in acoustics, physics, engineering, or computer science. They could work in consulting, or with an audio company like the producer of headphones and other equipment. Research and academic positions are also potential career tracks for people with this training,

Top Locations to Film in New York City

New York City has been the shooting location of hundreds of iconic movie locations. We’re here to help you find the best locations to film in New York City. The City presents a tableau rich in diversity and is sure to offer the perfect backdrop for your video production.

Professional Location Scouting Tips

Understanding the basics of scouting for outdoor shoots is critical to selecting the best location for your production. Knowing how to work with the light of your location, plan for your shoot, and compare potential sites will get you on your way to a great location selection. Here are some tips form the professionals. 

Before any cameras come out, you’ll need to evaluate your location, looking at the lighting, space, and any other special requirements. You’ll probably look at several locations, so be sure to document your observations for consideration later carefully. 

• Working with your story

Much of your site selection process will be driven by the story you are telling. Your script may call for a particular location, such as Times Square. From there, you’ll use good location scouting basics to narrow down exactly where, when, and how you’ll shoot. On the other hand, if your script calls for a gritty scene backdrop, there are plenty of those in NYC!. And you’ll have much more choice to work around lighting, traffic and other considerations. Your interpretation of “gritty” or “chic” may be unique to you. Be sure your production company is on the same page as you by talking this through, perhaps even creating a mood board.

• Working with Light

Light is always one of the most critical elements of a shot, regardless of your subject or content. After all, video is a visual medium. Proper use of light can make your project a winner. 

Many pros prefer the summer for the longer days of light. A rule of thumb is that early in the day and closer to sunset, you’ll get the best light. The backgrounds can better be showcased during these times. 

Mid-day provides the strongest light, and it can be harsh. This is a time for your tighter shots. Later in the day, the light can cast a lovely, warm color on your subjects. Be super aware of the light and make it work for you. When scouting, document the light with still images at various times of day, such as early morning, noon, twilight, and sundown. The photos will help your recollection later as you select your location. 

• Working with distractions

When scouting, be sure to listen as well as you look! Listen for ambient noise like passing trains, traffic, overhead flights, or a crashing ocean. These change dramatically throughout the day and from weekday to weekend. Ask around about other special considerations you may not have considered. These won’t necessarily rule out the location – you may even decide to incorporate these idiosyncrasies into your project to add layers and interest. 

• Document your scouting trips and results 

You’ll need to carefully document the aesthetics of the site as well as the logistics. For each potential site, you’ll want the pictures, notes on sound, and special considerations, as noted above. You should also consider accessibility, permitting parking, space for your crew and cast, security, and the best directions to reach the location. All of this should enter into your decision process. Some additional things to consider are pedestrians, winds, buildings, or trees that block light, restrooms, workspace for makeup artists, and artwork that may be protected. 

• Get permission, insurance, and permits!

Your production company will handle this for you but confirm that this base is covered, proper release forms and city permits are in place, and any insurance policy that may be required. 

Iconic Film Locations in New York City

Scouting New York City – Finding the perfect location if the City is part of your production. 

The Big Apple isn’t called “the city that never sleeps” for anything! 

It is a videographer’s heaven with its amazing skylines, tons of iconic locations, and diverse street scenes. If you want your video production to scream “New York City,” here are some of the top spots to check out.

• The Brooklyn Bridge 

The Brooklyn Bridge, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, is perhaps one of the most iconic and identifiable locations in New York City. Its pedestrian walkway provides fantastic panoramic shots of the City, including significant New York buildings like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Give some thought to winter temps from the bridge and remember that it is a suspension bridge, so the vibration is continuous. 

• Grand Central Station

Grand Central Station is a familiar location worldwide. Abuzz with people and activity, it provides incredible street photography and great shots of the gorgeous architecture of the building. The possibilities are endless.

• Atlas at Rockefeller Center  

Any 30 Rock fan has seen the statue of Atlas carrying the heavens that graces the front of Rockefeller Centre. Basking in the light of surrounding buildings, it makes for fantastic night imagery and communicates a sense of place to viewers worldwide. 

• Times Square 

Times Square trumps all locations when it comes to street photography and lots of local and tourist activity. Take it wide viewing Times Square from above in the R Lounge of Renaissance Times Square or focus on the ground level and the bustling and hustling activity. 

• Central Park

Thinking of something outdoors and more natural? Central Park offers dozens, if not hundreds of photo ops, ranging from the Bethesda Fountains and Terrace, Strawberry Fields and the “Imagine” mosaic, to the many arches that populate the park, to the people watching mecca of The Mall. For a peaceful spot in the park, visit the Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The possibilities are endless

Looking for something less identifiable?

New York City, comprising the five boroughs, is sure to have the perfect location for your masterpiece. A good New York Video Production company will know exactly where the best place is to bring your video story to life. They will have the connections to find, permit, and shoot the locations best suited to be cast in your video.

• Old school New York street scenes

There are plenty of places that offer quieter and less commercial side streets from Soho to Brooklyn. Soho, short for South of Houston features intricate cast-iron architecture from the late 19th century and its unique cobblestone streets paved with Belgian blocks, A nice touch! Soho is a top shopping area and popular tourist attraction but still offers quieter areas once you’re off-Broadway. 

• Just the right local restaurant

Union Square is still a hub for shopping, dining, and people watching. It’s a convenient connection spot for travelers and has an excellent park for filming and provides easy access to some great neighborhoods. Pop into the Flatiron District, Greenwich Village or Gramercy and pick your shot. You’ll also be at the gateway to lots of charming neighborhoods and parks. You may recognize the site of Citizen Kane. 

• Want to channel a fashionable and trendy vibe?

Tribeca’s neighborhood is home to an affluent population and has trendy shops and restaurants to prove it. It is still a filming favorite, but you can stake out your unique location. Tribeca is home to the Tribeca Film Festival and the famous site of the filming of Ghostbusters. 

• Let the cultural diversity of the City step forward.

Chinatown, with the largest population of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in Manhattan. It borders another cultural mecca, Little Italy. It’s home to close to 100,000 Chinese residents and is beloved by tourists and locals alike. This amazing filming location is home to grocers, street vendors, and restaurants that will make you forget you are in America! Us it to create the vibe of Chine or to capture this unique New York City locale. 

• Want to put diversity front and center?

Don’t overlook the rich cultural and architectural experience that is Harlem. Located in northern Manhattan, it is a nexus of both African- American culture and Latin American population. Many landmarks such as the Cotton Club, the Apollo Theater, and Sylvia’s Soul Food stand as a testament to the achievements of African-American residents and led the way for the area to become very popular, and a contributor also to hip-hop. There are plenty of spots to inspire and bring your production alive.

• Are you feeling tony?

The villages and hamlets of Southhampton and East Hampton on Long Island have long been recognized as the weekend seaside home of wealthy New Yorkers. It’s the stunning countryside, and waterfront vistas offer many opportunities to strike just the right chord with your production. 

• Up and coming

Brooklyn is gaining attention as an excellent hub for artists and professionals. It has many neighborhoods and offers incredible diversity for video production in terms of the may locations within one single borough. Find a great industrial vibe in the Brooklyn Navy Yards or beautiful brownstones in Cobble Hill. 

Working with location scouts in New York City

A good New York video production company will take care of planning out your scouting and will recommend locations that best work to bring your story and project to light. They will work with location scouting agencies or directly with representatives of the location itself. They will arrange for site inspections, licenses, insurance requirements, and anything else necessary for your shoot. 

A location scout agency is a listing site that manages bookings and inspections for a variety of locations. Their listing will range from industrial buildings, farms, mansions, tenements, beach houses, restaurants, a public library, and everything in between.

Many now make use of digital materials and often offer a full preview of a location for your preview before visiting. Relationships are essential in filmmaking, and a good video production company like C&I Studios will know who to call and how much to pay! 

An update on the status of film production in New York City

Filmmaking has been impacted like all other industries across the world. NewYork City has been closed to filming for some months. In July, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that film and video production in the City could resume subject to two requirements. Production at production or recording studios, on location or on set can resume with the following provisions: Producers much present documentation of plan for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and must comply with the requirements of Media Production Guidelines established by the state in June. 

The state requirements are comprehensive and address crew and cast testing training, provision of proper hygiene, care of props and wardrobe, and food and beverage on set. Rules require masks at all times, the social distancing of six feet except when needed, such as makeup or performing, and following all Department of Health guidelines. Washing stations, sanitizer dispensers, and frequent and thorough cleaning of all areas being used are required. 

Props and wardrobe are cleaned and disinfected between each use and sealed in containers when not in use. Live audiences are prohibited, and non-essential personnel such as visitors are not allowed onto the set. 

Working with an established and reputable production company will ensure that all safety standards are maintained, licensing and permitting guidelines are adhered to, and all details are covered. 

Work with the best!

When you’re ready to create your video masterpiece, work with a New York production company that can find you the best location to film in New York City. They’ll take care of all of the details for you from conception to final edits and make the perfect video to tell your story.

 Give us a call at C&I Studios to discuss how we can help bring your project alive. (954) 357-3934

Top Lighting Tips for Shooting in Los Angeles

Filming in Los Angeles can be challenging, particularly when it comes to lighting. 

Lighting a video shoot can be a tricky proposition anyhow, especially for a “non-pro.” The camera has a different perception of light than the naked eye, and it takes practice to learn how to use that. 

Lighting can be far more nuanced than you may realize, and it takes practice and a good eye to understand how to work with that. Some people avoid shooting on location because of the volatility of the lighting, but with the fantastic locations offered in a city like Los Angeles, the results are often worth it. 

Why film in Los Angeles?

Los Angles is the entertainment capital, no doubt. But you don’t need to have Hollywood aspirations to appreciate the wildly diverse and vibrant filming destination that is Los Angeles.

They are the home of many wildly iconic locations, a limitless pool of talent, and filming infrastructure. 

With 315 days of sunshine annually, sites that populate the 840 miles of coastline, vast deserts, sand dunes, urban spots, and various cultural centers, why would a filmmaker go elsewhere? Los Angeles is sure to provide precisely what you need to create your video production masterpiece. 

Video lighting tips and tricks- the basics

• Shoot Preparation

Shoot preparation is everything. Always scout your location in advance at the same time you will be shooting. Natural light will cast shadows and can change in an instant with the weather. If the sun slips behind a cloud, everything changes, and keeping consistency from shot to shot is a challenge. 

• Lighting equipment

Lighting equipment plays a vital role in controlling the lighting in a shoot. Options for lighting setups range from fundamental (and inexpensive) clamp lights. These lights do not allow for dimming, which means the lighting can be too stark. Diffusion will help spread the light and creating a softer effect. 

A middle range lighting setup will put you back up to $500 but will give you what you need for diffusion, quick set up, and pretty good control of the lighting. 

If you’re in it for the long-haul, the better lighting setups will have features like full range dimmers, wireless, more robust output, and high diffusion. Think carefully about your specific requirements as you may be able to get by without this expense. 

• Using a 3-point lighting setup.

A 3-point setup is very common and uses a key light: your primary light source, a fill light to eliminate shadows, and a backlight to create depth. This is an efficient set up for YouTube videos, promo videos, and other situations.

• Beware the glare!

If your subject is wearing glasses, you’ll need to adjust for this to avoid glare by raising the lights higher, or moving the key and fill flights out farther from the subject. Use flags and reflectors when filming outdoors. They will help you balance the lighting on your actors and even out glare. 

Tips for shooting video outside with natural light

The fascinating range of locations in Los Angeles is reason enough to jump outside the comfort zone of a controlled indoor shooting environment and hit the hills, streets, or whatever best tells your story. Try our top tips for working with and controlling lighting on your outside shoot.

• Timing is critical. Everything can change in a blink, so plan accordingly.
• Shoot before the sun gets too high. Preferred times are just after sunrise or directly before sunset. Just after sunrise or sunset is called the Blue Hour when the sky is still colorful, but the sun is not a problem. The “magic hour” is the hour leading up to sunset or just after sunrise and will provide flattering sunlight since the sun will be low on the horizon. 

When the sun is too high, lighting can cast shadows on your subject. Blue hour leaves enough light to give a definition, but car lights and house lights are still visible and create the feel of nighttime. Magic hour provides a beautiful, soft natural light. 

• Keep an eye out for potential strange shadow patterns like huge trees or buildings.
• Cloudy days are great for shooting.
• Be sure to choose the best lenses for the job. Daytime shoots call for low contrast and wide shots. Nightime shots do better with fast lenses, preferably one wide-angle. Take advantage of focal length and depth by using wide-angle lenses to establish the shot and create a sense of space. 
• Use the sun as blacklight. Keep it behind your actors, so their faces aren’t covered with harsh sunlight on them, creating shadows. And you don’t want them to squint!
•  Choose your location carefully! Be sure you know how the light hits at every hour of your shoot. Watch for shadows from buildings or trees, and know sunset and sunrise times. 

Tips for location scouting

• It’s easy to become enamored with an iconic location, or breathtaking vista. Los Angeles offers everything you can dream from rambling warehouses to luxurious mansions, incredible natural vistas, or the inner city’s underbelly. Before settling on a location, be sure you understand your script and purpose for your video production, so you pick a site that best frames your story and does not detract from it. 
• Pay attention to where the sun is. Is it full sun, partial sun or shade? You may get the best results on an overcast day or in full shade. 
• Don’t ignore audio. Will there be noise from traffic, crashing waves, or other entertainment or activity? Listen through your camera’s microphone on headphones to get the best read on the noise level.
• Invest in neutral l density filters for your lenses to better manage the day’s brightness and changing conditions. You don’t want the sun to overpower your shot, and a neutral filter, speed, and F/stop adjustments can help you get to the right levels. 
• Consider the elements – your camera lens can easily smear from the salt air, or moisture from a nearby waterfall. Cold temperatures can drain your battery (and freeze out your talent) while extreme heat can overheat your equipment.
• Remember, you may not have power. Bring your extra battery packs. And consider how you’ll power your lighting and chargers.
• Make sure the location has enough room for your equipment, crew, and talent. And remember to cover getting permission! You will likely need a permit in Los Angeles or any place where you impede traffic. Is it private property? Be sure to get proper permitting and permission in writing.

Learn more about the best locations in Los Angeles to film, check out “Best Locations to Shoot in Los Angeles “.

Ramp up the quality of your video production (for amateurs!) 

If you’re just getting started in videography, you may want to leave your promotional or brand video’s video production to the pros. Meanwhile, you can still be working on upping your video game. Here are a couple of pro tips just for You!

Assuming you know the basics of pulling together your equipment, planning your shoot, using proper lighting techniques, here are some tips to make your production look professional.

• Keep your shot clean by using a simple background. You want to eliminate any elements that take attention from your subject or make the shot look cluttered. Unless the cluttered background is part of your story, try to avoid it.
• Good composition is the mark of a pro! Aim and shoot won’t cut it. Work on your framing and composition. Change out the camera’s framing to make the scene more appealing. A well known basic rule of composition is the Rule of Thirds. Put our subject’s head slightly higher and off-center in the frame and allow space when facing sides.
• Consider camera placement. For a close-up, never put the camera close to the subject. Place it a few feet away and zoom with your lens.
• Don’t be lazy with autofocus. Use the exposure/focus lock on your smartphone or use manual focus and trust your own eyes to set the focus.
• Try out your cinematic techniques. Use a mix of camera movements to tell your story and maintain viewer interest. Don’t overdo it.
• Timing matters. Try to limit your shots to between 5 and 10 seconds to hold your viewer’s attention. Keep them steady at 10 seconds, without panning or zooming before then. This will help minimize shaky shots, and keep things simple post-production.
• Think like an editor when filming. Take extra shots to allow more choice later.

Los Angeles is home to many talented and creative full-service production companies. They will know the locations, the talent pool, and the local requirements for filming. Set up a discovery call with C&I today to discuss your project.

The Best Filming Locations in Los Angeles

Location, location, location.

The setting of your video can be as important as your cast or your messaging.

It can amplify your message, showcase your product, illustrate your cause, or set the mood to warm up your audience. 

Location is everything.

When it comes to location diversity and opportunity, Los Angeles offers an embarrassment of riches. You’ll find iconic film locations, the unmatched natural beauty of California beaches, luxurious mansions, dream-worthy beach homes, or plenty of the grittier side of Los Angeles. It’s all there to star in your production, or provide the perfect backdrop. 

When filming in the City of Angels, it’ll be easy to scout your perfect location.

A good production company will know what’s available and will have the right connections with location scouts and venue owners to make it happen.

And they will build that perfect location into your storyboards early in the process.

Maybe your cause is local, and you need to establish a sense of place.

What says LA like the Hollywood sign?

Or your ultra-luxury swim line needs to be showcased in the perfect location. If your video production company is hooked up, they’ll know how to find the ideal secluded beach or exotic pool to showcase your stuff.

Prefer something off the beaten path?

Your video production agency can hook you the perfect ultra-modern enclave in the hills, or take you to a secluded spot on California’s beaches. 

Set up shop in a sun-drenched loft or an industrial warehouse if that better tells your story.

Regardless of where you set your masterpiece, you’ll want to harness the magic of Los Angeles. Take advantage of gorgeous natural light, atmospheric smog over the city, or the city’s raw sounds. 

Got your heart set on a Los Angeles beach location?

We don’t blame you at all!

With the sunny weather and gorgeous and scenic coastline, a beachside shoot is a no-brainer.

There are tons of oceanfront spots to choose from, whether it’s a seaside town or a secluded beach stretch. 

Here are some top coastal locations that have made their debut in films or TV shows. 

Check them out; they were chosen for a reason!

1. Malibu and Malibu Pier

Nothing screams “LA Beach” like iconic Malibu. 

Rent out a rustic beach shack, oceanfront beach house, or an oceanfront estate. 

Showcase historic Malibu Pier that juts out 780 feet over well-known Surfrider Beach, and sports an observation deck and fishing spot that the locals love. 

Are you looking for the perfect seaside shack for your backdrop? 

Check out Neptune’s Net or one of its neighboring spots. 

The options in Malibu are unlimited. 

2. Westward Beach

Westward Beach, located on the northwestern side of Point Dume, offers amazing views of a dramatic 200-foot cliff. The beach, also known as Point Dume State Park is a half-mile long and has been featured in many films and music videos. Maybe you recognize it from one of Taylor Swift’s 22 music videos that have been filmed there. 

3. El Segundo Beach

If you’re looking for something less crowded, El Segundo Beach may just be your location. It usually is less crowded than some of its neighboring beaches. You’ll find volleyball nets, plenty of surfers, and a bike path with some great views. The LAX plane traffic overhead or the El Segundo, Power Plant smokestacks, could add a powerful and unique touch to your production (or not). 

4. Venice Beach

The world-famous Venice Beach Boardwalk is a bustling and iconic spot and famed for its people watching. If you want eclectic, this is it. Choose from one of the many hangouts on the boardwalk or just let the boardwalk be the star. 

5. Lee Carrillo State Park

Carrillo State Park has all the diversity you can want in a beach location. Its 1.5-mile coastline features breathtaking rocky cliffs, reefs, tide pools, and caves. Cast this seaside wonderland in your next production.

6. El Matador State Park

For sheer beauty, El Matador State Park is unmatched. 

With sparkling azure waters, large rock formations, scattered boulders, and caves, it’s a stunner and known as one of LA’s most picturesque sites. You will have to haul yourself and equipment down a steep dirt path to get to the sand – but it’s well worth the hike. 

How do you get access to the Best filming location in Los Angeles?

You know how LA works. “It’s all in who you know.”

And a good production company will know the right people.

Los Angeles, the film industry hub, is full of location scouts, some good, and some, well. You know.

Location scouts understand how vital location is to production and work very hard to build a spectacular and interesting database. They can be useful in finding just the right spot if you have a unique request that’s not in their database. They will negotiate access to filming locations on behalf of photography, filming, or advertising professionals. 

Many amazing locations are made available for photoshoots, commercials, and film shoots. 

Property owners will often list their property for quick shoots or longer projects with booking agents just as they would list a property rental with AirBnB. Production professionals from film, TV, and advertising will scout the locations and book through these agencies. 

Your location scout or production professional will be responsible for insurance and filming permits. Be sure that’s in place!!

Tips to scouting your perfect location

• Budget

“Money talks” – sometimes.

Many of the key locations will require that your location scout or agency “sell” your project, convincing the owners or managers that your agency is responsible, trustworthy, and low-risk.

This is where relationships and reputation rule.

Unless your location budget is unlimited (doubtful), you may need to make some concessions. A $1000 budget in West LA won’t go far, while it may get you what you want in the San Fernando Valley.

• The details

Your agency will need to share the details of the shoot upfront. 

Will you be shooting late at night, will it involve pets, stunts, or require exterior lighting rigs or noise? This may preclude you from securing some locations.

• House rules

Many locations have very specific house rules, and your production company will need to be sure that you can adhere to them without jeopardizing your production or adding costs. 

When you’re ready to shoot your production in the “City of the Angels,” be sure to work with a reputable and experienced agency that will take their knowledge and connections into consideration when fulfilling your vision for your production. 

Check out some of our previous work filmed in Los Angeles

We see companies making videos and investing heavily in video marketing, where companies facilitate them with an end-to-end video production process. Why is this video production process so important?

A Process Improves Accountability

Having a process in place helps assign ownership pockets that make every stakeholder responsible for the elements involved in the production journey. This makes them accountable for their actions and improves the quality of the process. 

For instance, if a person is responsible for scouting the location, they will note whether the location fits the script, is easily accessible for the shoot, and works for all the members of the shoot. 

Creates a Timeline

Video production is not a ‘said and done’ activity. With so many steps and elements involved, it requires time. Having a process defines an approximate timeline for every part, which helps the team achieve their goal without succumbing to the haphazard monopoly of guesswork. 

For example, a time set for arranging the equipment can help maintain the deadline for the shooting process, which in turn ensures that editors also receive ample time to cut and polish the actual footage. 

Fewer Revisions and Fewer Back & Forth

The process for producing a video will be drawn out, which means that the business owner needs to be in the loop. Since you are now aware of the objective of the video, see if it matches your concept. This way, there are likely to be less revisions at the end of the process. 

Not following a process can result in a confused state peppered with heated discussions, incessant revisions, and missed deadlines – not to mention a mountain of frustration.  

A Clear-Cut Pricing

Generally speaking, production rates are hourly based. Having a process helps determine the number of hours that will be required for the project. However, keep in mind that some video production companies may give you the option of set-rate packages. 

Conclusion

Every video production companies workflow and process are slightly different. However, these are the basic points that you can keep in mind while scouting for a video production provider. This will help ensure that the final result is effective and cost-efficient.

Why Film in Florida?

When you’re talking video production, Florida is the state that has it all – an amazing diversity of locations, cooperative weather and shooting conditions, a vast pool of talent, and special light and vibe that’s found only in the Sunshine State. 

Florida can be the perfect backdrop for your video, or it can be the star of your show. 

With all of its richness and diversity, it also brings special conditions and requirements you’ll need to address in order to get the most out of your video production. 

Here are some tips to make the most of one of the country’s premier video locations:

Location, location, location.

If your production, whether a product promo, loft-style video, commercial, philanthropic, green screen interview, or music video is best communicated in the controlled environment of a studio, no worries. 

Florida boasts myriad production facilities featuring state-of-the-art equipment and big-city league support teams. Check out the C&I Production Studio, South Florida’s premier studio, which is also available as a studio rental where you can create your own magic.

If you’re ready to take advantage of the diversity, natural beauty, and culture of Florida, here are a few tips that will help make your video production seamless and smooth. 

More than beaches – Choosing a location

The scenery ranges from inspiring east coast sunrises to spectacular west coast sunsets, tangled and mysterious mangroves, secluded everglades, and rolling hills, and fragrant orange groves. 

Historic St. Augustine, sophisticated and urban and international Miami, tony Palm Beach, the heat of Little Havana or artsy and bohemian Key West each offer a special community backdrop for your production. You’ll also have access to many events,  both international (think Art Basel) and local such as Calle Ocho, a celebration of all things Cuban.

Looking for that perfect mansion, or yacht for your video to inhabit? Easy. 

You’ll find ample opportunities for B-roll ranging from the Miami Zoo to 17th Street Causeway Bridge to a Little Havana street scene. 

An experienced Florida video production company will help you harness just the right location or prop to illustrate your story and move your audience. 

Florida talent pool – Casting your production

Florida is blessed with many casting agencies and a large, diverse pool of on-camera talent. Your agency will have connections to find just the right actors to be the face of your product, service, or cause.

Do your pre-production homework

Pre-production is where the client’s goals, the creative team, and the production team all collaborate to pull together the concept, script, and location that will bring your story to life. Selecting the right location is essential and is part of the creative process. Florida has special considerations like weather, tourists, traffic, and permitting that can impact the budget, timing, and tone of your production. Take the time now to get it right and make sure the location is the perfect match for our goals and brand. 

If possible, visit the location at the time of day you intend to shoot, to make sure there are no surprises such as unexpected noise, traffic congestion, or other hazards. Observe the lighting and vibe.

Working with Florida Climate and Seasonality

Yes.

There are seasonal changes in Florida. The right video production company will plan your video at the best time to let the climate star in your show without hampering or slowing production. Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30 and can wreak havoc with a production schedule. Unless your project relies upon heavy and destructive winds, torrential rainfall, and record surf, you’d do well to avoid the peak hurricane season and to monitor weather reports if your shoot is scheduled for that time.

In-season vs Off-season

There are vast differences in accommodation rates, occupancy at hotels, and the ability to have your special needs met, as well as the density of tourists between peak and non-peak seasons. For a budget-friendly shoot, try to stay off-season. 

And one word of caution: Traffic! A 10-minute drive can easily morph into a one hor tangle. Plan for this in your scheduling. 

You may want to work with seasonal events like the Boat Parade, sports events, or other outdoor activities. There are many to choose from. 

Hot, hot, hot!

Florida can be excessively hot and humid, and daily showers in the afternoon are not uncommon during some times of the year. The temps can exceed 100 degrees! 

Provide protection against the weather.

Be sure to protect your cast, crew, and equipment against the sun, heat, and rain. Having your crew fatigued from the heat, or run for cover will be a costly delay and will knock you off your schedule. This should be part of pre-production planning. 

Consider the heat when choosing a wardrobe.

Loose, breathable fabrics, if appropriate for your video, will hold up better and be more comfortable. Bring plenty of water and keep everyone hydrated. 

Heads up! It can also get cool in the winter so plan accordingly. Great times to shoot are February and October. 

Make-up! 

If you are shooting from March through October, plan for a makeup artist on set. You’ll probably need touch-ups and the wind can have a mind of its own. 

Shooting on the beach?

If you’re shooting footage yourself, there are a couple of extra considerations for when you’re shooting on the sand. 

• It can be tough to get good clean audio. Waves, birds, and wind can all contribute to unnoticed messy audio. Beware!
• The reflections from the sand and from the water, along with quickly changing lighting can all be challenging. Shoot and manage accordingly. 
• The saltwater spray can be subtle. Beware build up on your lens and clean any lens often. 

Abiding by the law – The legal side of things

A good production company will handle all of this, but you should be aware of the legal requirements of shooting in Florida. Every location-based shoot for professional photography, even still, required a shooting permit. This permit confirms that the local city or federal government has given permission for the shoot. There are exceptions for a shoot with a handheld camera with a cast and crew of three or less, that does not impact the city, county, or state. Make sure this is included in your agreement and that they are in place. 

A certificate of insurance is also required. This is a $1,000,000 liability policy to ensure the county or city you are shooting in. Lastly, Florida is a “right to work” state which means union labor is not required in certain situations. 

Choosing a Florida video production company

When planning your Florida shoot, make sure your agency fully understands your goal and vision for your project. Ask about their crew, their studio, and equipment and view dome of their past projects. Ask for references.

And to optimize the Florida experience, be sure they have experience with shooting in Florida to ensure they have the contacts and connections to secure the best locations and talent for your project.

Imagine giving your friend your home address without the street name. They might reach the area but likely wouldn’t find your home. 

Similarly, writing content can deliver the message to an audience, but without SEO optimization, you might find it difficult to deliver it to the right audience. 

Are you still wondering if SEO copywriting is important for your website?

What is SEO Copywriting?

In simple terms, SEO copywriting is enriched writing where there is a fine blend of readability and marketability. It is about improving the quality and value of content with the right keywords, making it useful for your audience and helpful for your brand.

SEO copywriting:

• Comprises keywords that your target user is most likely to enter into a search engine.
• Optimizes your content to be of value and attract relevant traffic to your website. 
• Helps improve your position/search ranking on search engines (the most relevant being Google).

Having said that, using the right key phrases is not enough. How and when to use these phrases also determine the quality of your content. 

• Say no to ‘stuffing’ and instead weave keywords naturally into your sentences.
• Use these keyphrases across your content, instead of sticking to the first paragraph for visibility. 

How does SEO Copywriting Differ from Traditional Writing?

SEO copywriting is peppered with key phrases, and traditional writing is focused more on the substance versus strategy. 

However, there is more to SEO writing than inserting keywords. This type of content is great for improving your site’s Domain Authority (DA); i.e., its strength among competitors. 

Google’s new BERT update checks into the content’s relevance and keyword strategy that provides readers a wholesome experience. If your content passes the test, it will be duly rewarded with a higher search rank. 

In a nutshell, your content needs to satisfy your readers in terms of engagement and information as well as Google in terms of right content practices and key phrases. 

This is where SEO copywriting takes the cake when compared to the traditional format of writing. 

Here are the 5 Must-Know Tips on SEO Copywriting

These 5 tips will help you rank on Google as well as improve your conversion rate. Blend it with on-page optimization, and you shall strike gold!

Tip # 1 – Write Compelling Headlines to Rank in Search Engines

As per Copyblogger, 80% of your visitors will read your headline, but only 20% of them will ever go beyond reading the whole article. 

A good headline is a concise version of what your article will be about and whether they should be spending their time on your article when there is a ton of content to choose from. 

Adding data or stats can also pique interest and bring in a visitor. Of course, adding your focus keyword to your title is a given.

Tip #2 – Know Your Audience

We spoke about the BERT update that looks for content relevance. So, how do you determine whether your content is relevant or not? Simple! You undertake an audience analysis and tally it with what they are looking for. Do they complement each other?

Congratulations! You have an engaging and potentially viral copy in your hands. 

Having relevant content ensures that your reader does not leave your article midway because it isn’t what they are looking for. As a result, you have higher engagement, session duration, organic traffic, and aren’t too reliant on paid ads to get your word out.

Tip #3 – Understand Search Engines 

SEO optimization heavily relies on search engines and the way they work. One of the best things you can do is write a concise SEO title and meta description to direct the search engine to your content.

Another way of achieving search engine favor is by segregating your copy into specific headlines, namely H1, H2, H3, and so on, which improves the reader’s experience and crawl-ability of your page. 

An additional element you need to understand about search engines, especially in the case of Google, is it understands keyword stuffing. Hence, make sure that your keyword placement across your copy is well-placed and optimized.

Tip # 4 – Call Your Readers to Take Action on Your Message 

As a part of your SEO copywriting process, it is your job to drive engagement through content, and a clear, concise CTA (call to action) makes a world of difference in converting your reader into a customer. 

Your content is most effective when it drives action on behalf of the reader. It can be a link to another article, a link to check out a product, a lead form, or inviting the user to join a newsletter – whatever the CTA maybe, an action by the reader is an absolute must.

Tip # 5 – Use Keyword Tools to Choose the Best Keywords in Copywriting

Using a reliable keyword search tool like Ahrefs, SEMRush, or even Google’s keyword planner will help you find great keyword ideas. These can be seed keywords or long-tail keywords that are based on your niche – those that can help you attract your audience to your copy. 

In addition to relevance, these tools also help you determine the keyword metrics that can optimize your content and rank it high in a short amount of time. 

The Importance of Keyword Research for SEO

Now that you have the five must-know tips for SEO copywriting, let’s take a deep dive into the world of SEO. 

This is where the story begins. Keyword research is the primary step you take while crafting an SEO strategy for your content. The origin story for any website, keyword research sets the foundation for your website/blog/article, based on your target audience’s search activity. 

Keywords are essential to add value to your content. Since all good things take time, keyword research also takes a lot of digging into the customer psyche, search engine trends, and your competitor’s ranking. 

Should you go for a long-tail keyword? Should you focus only on catchphrases? All this can be answered during your keyword research and can help you generate quality content and garner attention.

Essential Concepts of Keyword Research 

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the process, let us understand a few essential concepts that will come up during keyword research. 

• Focus Keyword of Keyphrase: As we have discussed above, a keyphrase or focus keyword is the high target element that resonates with your business. It is also what your potential customers are searching for. Various SEO tools help you determine the right key phrases for your business.
• Keyword Strategy: This process revolves around taking steps to make your content more SEO compliant based on keyword research. When performing a keyword strategy, you will determine the type, flow, the need for visuals, and keyphrases (along with their positioning) you will be using in your content. 
• Long Tail Keyword: The idea behind using a long tail keyword is to encompass specific as well as remotely similar searches under one phrase so that the chances for your content popping up upon that word search will increase exponentially. With long-tail keywords in your copy, you can also gain an edge over your competition and gain greater visibility. 
• Search Intent: Simply put, this step goes beyond just adding keywords to your copy but also determining the tonality and the perception you want to convey to your readers. If you are looking to educate your readers, setting an educative tone with relevant information should be key.

How to do Keyword Research

Let’s dive straight into it.

• Study Your Niche: Once you know what you are looking for, it is easy to look for relevant keywords and strategize a vibrant content design. Once you have determined the niche, you can make a laundry list of keywords that resonate with your business and help build the foundation for your keyword strategy.
• Start with Seed Keywords: An extension to your business aim, seed words are the first step towards content development. They are the direct link between what your target audience is looking for and the copy you will be creating. It is great to define your niche, and your competitor’s as well. For instance, while music is your seed word, it is extremely competitive. You can extend from it to keywords like ‘music theme for Game of Thrones’, ‘music lovers group’, and so on. 
• Generate Keyword Ideas: Now that you have a list of keywords, the next step is to generate keyword ideas – the knack of knowing which keywords you should use to gain traction and how you can implement them into your copy for SEO optimization. See what keywords you and your competitors are ranking for, and cherry-pick ones you can use to bolster your growth. 
• Know Your Keyword Metrics: Metrics like keyword volume, keyword difficulty, clicks, organic search, traffic potential, and cost per click are some of the most important metrics that can help you determine which keyword you should go for. For instance, keyword difficulty determines how hard it will be to rank in Google and the number of backlinks you would have to create to bring it to the top. Going for less difficult keywords means a higher chance to rank and get more readers. Similarly, volume determines the traffic that keyword attracts.

What are the Three Phases of Writing an SEO Article?

Step #1 – Preparation

This involves preparing your text where you are planning your entire article. Even though you have a topic in mind, look for answers for the following questions for more clarity:

1. Why are you writing this article? What is your purpose behind crafting this copy, and what do you wish to achieve?
2. What is the main message of your content, and how would you like to convey it?
3. What questions are you looking to solve via this article?
4. What is the intent of your content?
5. Have you determined your target audience? Do you know the type of content that is normally consumed by them?
6. What will the structure of your piece be?

Step#2 – Writing

Now that you have your structure in place, it is now time to get down to business. It is surprisingly easy to write your piece once you are prepared with facts and flow. 

Do not think about how you will place your keywords or what should be integrated where. The key to SEO copywriting is to simply start writing! If you feel that the introduction is a bit tricky, leave that and work with the next paragraph. 

However, it is important that you stick to the structure that you drafted in your outline. Digressing will confuse your mind, and you will be back to square one. Sometimes, an abundance of creativity while writing will delay deadlines. 

Step #3 – Correcting

Proofreading and reading your content out loud is what you will be doing in this phase of your SEO copywriting process. This step is especially helpful for editing the unnecessary verbose and, of course, the dreaded grammatical mistakes. Don’t be wary of throwing stuff out if the piece is too wordy. This step will make your content more legible and crisp – both huge pluses. 

Conclusion

The best thing about SEO copywriting is that it requires constant innovation. Writers always find themselves breaking old rules and creating new techniques to help their articles get the crown. It requires writers to be vigilant of search engine algorithm updates and keep optimizing the content. But if you have content that can add value to the customer anytime they look for it; you have a goldmine. 

Always remember – Relevance + Value + Optimisation = SEO copywriting! 

What are the goals of video production?

Videos are one of the most artful and creative forms of storytelling. 

A well-imagined and executed video can communicate emotions and teach, transform, inspire, or move a viewer to action. Whether the commercial goal of the video is to build a brand, create awareness, or sell a product, at its highest form, the video must powerfully communicate a story or message that changes the intended audience.

A successful video uses emotion, imagination, and creativity to touch the viewer while balancing art with commercial intent and purpose. While the best and most effective videos create a seamless and compelling story, the process behind the scenes is complicated, time-consuming, often tedious. Video production requires a cadre of creative and technical talent and the best in state-of-the-art gear. 

Let’s go BTS –  behind the scenes and see at what happens to create that magical few seconds or minutes.

What is the process of video production?

The video production process varies significantly based on goals, budget, and style, but the production is typically broken into three major steps or phases. Pre-production is the critical phase that includes laying the foundation for your video, from concept to budget. Phase two is the actual production of your video, from set-up to filming. In the final stage, pre-production is when raw video footage is transformed into a final product.

Pre-production 

The planning of your video starts here. A collaboration of client, creative team, and production team, this is where the client goals are woven into a concept that best tells your story. It is scripted, cast, sited, and the schedules and budgets are set. Planning and organization are fundamental to the success of a video, and this is where that happens.

Concept

The team will develop options for the most effective concepts to tell your story, including stylistic direction and mood. At this stage, you’ll see a comprehensive overview of the production and will be in a position to decide which concept best aligns with your goals and your brand. A storyboard will help you visualize what you will see on the screen and compresses everything into a cohesive story and vision.

Script

The screenwriters take over now to fill in with dialogue that tells your story perfectly to your target audience. It must grab your viewer, convey your message, and inspire the desired action, all in a very compressed timeframe. 

Location Scouting

An essential element of pre-production planning is selecting the right location. The right location can be a “make it or break it” decision for video production. The budget is often a factor, and a production company with a state-of-the-art studio is always a plus. If the filming takes place outside of a studio, there are many other considerations like weather, time of day, and permits. 

Casting

Who do you want to represent you and tell your story? Remember, they become the face, and visual representation of your company and must connect with your audience. Your agency will have a database of talent and will hold a casting call to bring in a selection of talent.

Scheduling and Shoot Preparation

Shoot preparation has tons of moving parts and will include script reviews, developing the shot list, scheduling talent, coordinating the camera operator and entire production company, getting the equipment to the location, clearing the shooting time at the site, security, permits, and more. Wardrobe, make-up, and all other details will be nailed down in pre-production. 

Budget

At this point, the budget will be fully dialed in, and all decisions moving forward will be taken with this top of mind. 

What happens in the video post-production phase?

In post-production, all the elements of the previous stages begin to converge. Every component of your video, each frame, each image, every word is scrutinized. The editing team works together to find the perfect blend of shots, camera angles, lighting, and sound to bring your story to life in a captivating and compelling video.

Editing

Good editing requires a creative and critical eye and incredible technical skill. Here is where thousands of frames are culled down to only the strongest. The camera angles and the most effective lighting are selected and woven together to produce a video with maximum impact. Transitions must be smooth and artful, the film should “feel” like it is the just perfect length, and the color contrast from frame to frame must work.

Color correction

Raw footage can often be over-saturated, particularly when it’s shot outdoors. Color correction is done to make sure the footage looks like what the naked eye would see. White and black levels are matched and used as a guideline. Color grading is another step, which is part of the “art” of your video. Color grading may be used to convey a mood or tone for your film.

Audio Editing and Engineering

Editing software improves each year, but a professional audio engineer can make an amazing difference in your film. They will master the voiceover, soundtrack, and any ambient sound to perfection. Audio clarity is paramount, and any errors in sound can damage your video. 

Client Review and Acceptance

Once the video is in draft, the team will want the client to take a look to make sure the client’s vision has been realized. Now is a time for minor revisions and tweaks to get your video to perfection! 

Why is a tight video production process important?

There are hundreds of moving pieces to video production. The coordination of locations, talent, team, and crew and equipment all need to come together in a carefully orchestrated plan. Details matter and a well thought out plan will keep things on track. 

Video production is a complex process that takes time. The best way to create and stick to a timeline is to maintain a tight process. And time is money! Avoiding overruns and extra shoots ensure your project comes in on time and on budget. 

And finally, planning upfront reduces revisions on the backend.

Teamwork brings the vision to life!

Video production requires a multitude of talents and skillsets. Every agency or production company and project is different, but a video project is a collaboration. The success of your project relies upon the skill and talent if every team member.

Our team at C&I is a highly skilled and well-vetted group of marketing and creative professionals, and we offer full video production services including a full production studio. We are experts in digital communication and emotive storytelling. Check out our portfolio or visit our Youtube Channel to see all of the video productions we have executed for corporations, small businesses, artists, politicians, and more.

Give us a call, and let us tell your story.

Let’s talk numbers, shall we? Around 49% of SMBs consider graphic design to be an extremely vital part of a business’s success story while 31% do not have similar faith but are aware of its positive impact on a brand’s growth. Only 3% of the total goes ‘meh’ when it comes to graphic designing, which puts them in reverse gear, moving them away from customer engagement and a positive brand image.  

As per Merriam Webster, graphic designing is “the art or profession of using design elements (such as typography and images) to convey information or create an effect.”

Today, these designs convey visual information across devices as well as traditional media. You name it! Graphic design is everywhere and is adding visual appeal to everything we see, touch, or hear.

What is a Graphic Design Company?

Graphic design companies are the hub of this new art form. These are agencies that create designs and collateral for businesses and brands. These designs can either be logos, web interface, marketing materials, and much more. 

While these agencies function with creativity and art as their foundation, they also possess the business acumen of understanding the client demand, the target audience’s psychology, and the market trends, which will bolster the said campaign.

What is the Difference Between Digital Designers vs. Graphic Designers? 

Though the two may seem similar due to their fundamental understanding of creative arts, there is a significant difference between a digital designer and a graphic designer. 

Graphic Designer	Digital Designer
A graphic designer has the artistic ability with a focus on creating pre-print production collaterals like logos, posters, virtual images, etc. They are adept at using design-related tools like Illustrator, Photoshop, and much more.	A digital designer is, of course, creative but dives into digital tasks as well, such as creating the user interface and user experience, which helps brands convey their message via digital platforms like websites, social media, and a lot more.

7 Tips for Choosing the Right Graphic Design Company 

Now that you are aware of the standard terms and definitions, here are our expert tips for choosing a graphic design company for your business!

Tip #1: Check Their Portfolio and References

Research is the first step towards getting the right graphic design agency onboard. Not having a credible agency website and proper portfolio is the biggest red flag, and you should steer clear of that agency. 

If all is good, go through their design portfolio, and inquire, specifically which designer for the company executed said designs. This will ensure that you are assigned the right designer for your brand’s look and feel. 

That said, the overall design and quality can help you assess the agency’s experience and whether it is the right fit for you or not. Apart from online research, try connecting with their clients and ask them about their experience. 

Tip #2: Look for a Wide Range of Services  

A comprehensive agency with a wide range of services can score brownie points for your design goals. How?

This agency has experience executing multiple campaigns in both the traditional and digital space, which makes them experienced and intuitive. Such agencies have designated teams of experts who offer much more than just graphics. 

They can help you align your visual goals, choose better tools, have a better narrative for your brand, add points that are brilliant but may have escaped your notice, and much more!

An agency with a wide range of services not only provides you with results demanded but also adds value to your overall business. 

Tip#3: Communicate Your Concerns 

There can be a disconnect between client and agency when it comes to creative concepts. You might have a few ideas concerning the design while the agency is viewing the concept vastly differently. 

Most misinterpretations boil down to unclear communication between the two parties. 

Have a clear communication plan with your design partner. Before choosing a graphic design agency, make sure that they have a process in place that works for you. Ask them what that process entails, as well as the tools used, and modes of communication.

Help them understand what you are looking for and if it helps support the explanation with references, tonality, the feel, and results that you are looking for. Ask questions if you do not understand design terms and jargon. This will only help clarify any confusion. 

Tip # 4 – Find out the Designer’s Requirements 

Granted, it is you who requires graphic design services for your business. However, you need to help your designer help you. 

Understanding your designer’s needs will smoothen the bumps throughout the journey. These needs can range from documentation, proofing concepts, or time-related tasks like briefings or feedback. 

It is stating the obvious, but you can also talk to them about freedom, flexibility, and other virtue-based requirements that the designer needs to deliver the best possible results for you. 

Tip # 5 – What Skills do You Want in a Designer?

Though you do not have to understand the nitty-gritty of graphic design, it is always a good idea to have some basic knowledge about the subject. 

If you are someone who wants to go for both traditional and digital campaigns, you need a designer with working knowledge in print design as well as virtual tools and processes. (This is especially important if you need collateral for trade shows etc. in conjunction with online initiatives.) 

It helps if your assigned designer knows how to work across platforms and tools as well. 

Tip # 6 – Consider a Trial Project 

Asking for a trial project is a great way to gauge the designer’s experience, their ability to align thoughts with your vision, and of course, understand their professional capabilities. 

These trial projects do not have to be extensive and time-consuming, but something simple that can be done in a couple of hours. 

However, make sure that you ask the agency if they offer limited-contract trial project options. 

Tip # 7 – Know their Time Constraints and Process

Last but not least, engage in open discussion and ask them about their design process. This will help you get an idea about what is being done for your brand and whether it is what you are looking for. 

Similar to the overall communication process, not knowing the actual design process leads to conflicts and repetitive edits. The incessant back and forth dampens creativity and also increases the bill. 

Understanding their timelines and deadlines will also help you plan your strategy accordingly. Allow the assigned designer and agency as a whole to talk about their time constraints, if any, and work around that to support the project.

What are Your Design Goals?

Now that you know how to pick the right graphic design agency, it is imperative to outline your design goals. Every brand has a different message and creative medium.

Let us try to break this question into simpler blocks. 

Customer Experience

Your product’s success has a lot to do with first impressions, and this is where visually pleasing graphic designs come in. The way the branding of your products look impacts directly how your customers are bound to experience them. Aesthetic pleasantry sometimes overrules minor usability flaws. Your primary design goal should be all about the customer experience. 

Setting the Theme

Graphic design sets the base for visual communication, which, in turn, sets the tone for your brand’s theme. The theme for McDonald’s is very different from Mont Blanc. Therefore setting the theme for your brand is an integral part of design goals. 

Brand Messaging

How you design your corporate identity has a direct impact on how your brand will be depicted to your audience. Setting a clear brand message beforehand helps the graphic designer chart different creatives relevant to your business. 

Customer Communication and Engagement 

While digital designers are instrumental for the user experience, graphic designers form the foundation of this experience. If you, as a brand, set customer communication and engagement as a goal, it automatically gives way for attractive designs and visualization, which your designer will digitally sketch out to help attract eyeballs.

What is Your Graphic Design Budget?

The world of design is full of colorful and aesthetic possibilities that can excite you like a kid in a candy store! However, not all design services are within your price range and can even exceed your budget. 

Have a detailed conversation with your design agency concerning your project and clearly define the monetary investment this project will demand. 

You can base your budget on these aspects:

1. The ROI you are expecting
2. The timeline of your project
3. The tools you might need for the designs
4. Number of revisions that might be needed
5. Are you more comfortable with flat rates or per-hour rates

In Conclusion: The Importance of Good Graphic Design

The graphic design company that you will be hiring will be responsible for creating a visual image for your brand that your audience will associate you with. It can be playful, serious, or minimal, but any theme requires someone with a good eye to interpret your needs. 

Many brands move from designer to designer until they find the right graphic design agency. This is often seen in the many rebranding activities brands endure. You can also spot the inconsistencies in their messaging. Therefore, it pays to be careful and detail-oriented while making your decision as to which agency to choose. 

It pays to take some time, work closely with the team, and establish a harmonious working process until you have absolutely nailed it. After all, with brands, the first impression is often the last. 

  

References: https://financesonline.com/graphic-design-statistics/ 

In this era of technology, virtually all businesses have an online presence. This has increased competition. Not only that, but businesses also need to appear in search results by potential customers looking for a specific product or service. This is where digital marketing agencies come in. They help you grow your business using various marketing strategies and tools. Phew!! You must be glad digital marketing agencies exist, but how do you choose the right one?

The right agency will customize a plan of action tailored to your industry and business and effectively track and measure the results. The right firm will also develop an effective strategy for meeting your goals. With the right agency, a company will prosper with amazing results. 

Choosing The Right Digital Marketing Agency

Are you confused as to which agency is the right one for you? Well, it is indeed a big decision and has its own sweet benefits too. Not only can a good digital marketing agency help generate revenue for you, but it can also transform your business. Take a look at some of the points below that can help you to choose the right agency for you and your business. 

1- Budget:

The last thing you want to do is spend all your money on a marketing agency and marketing activities and receive no results. It is advisable to have your budget ready before you approach an agency. It’s all about how much you can afford.

2- Goals:

It is important first to determine what your need is. You must answer questions like: Why do I want to run digital campaigns? What do I need from a digital marketing agency? What is the goal of my business?

It is important for you to be clear about your business model, strategy, and objective. Digital marketing agencies promote your business across multiple channels, and there are different activities involved. However, these activities are completely based on your goals and requirements.

Take our advice: Sit back, relax, let’s go a little traditional with pen and a paper (or tablet) and start to jot down what your business is about, who your customers are, what your expectations are, and more.

3- Credibility

Once you’ve shortlisted the agency, it is now essential to check how advanced and worthy they are to run your marketing. Be aware to check reviews and vet them fully. There are a number of ways to check the credibility of an agency. A few of them are:

• Team
• Awards
• Client List
• Media Presence
• Testimonials
• Footprints in the industry

4-Technology

This is ideally another supreme aspect. Advanced tools and technology for marketing help an agency to promote, manage, and grow your business. A digital agency must be equipped to handle your business type, and if a problem occurs, they must be updated with the latest technology to resolve the issue.

5-Marketing Tools

As mentioned in the above point, there are a number of tools that the agency must be updated with. You must ask the agency to demonstrate the list of tools which will be used to help you with your requirements. For campaigns like inbound campaigns, it requires an end-to-end experience and, having the right tools is extremely important. You can check:

• Are they using Mailchimp or SendInBlue or something else for email marketing?
• Are they using MOZ or Ahref for tracking keywords?
• What are the communications tools used within the agency? One popular communication tool is Slack.
• How much access will you have to the agency in terms of calls and support?
• What are the tools or project management software used to track the progress of the work? 
• What are the tools used for graphic related tasks? 
• What are the tools used to handle social media? 

Common Marketing Tactics Used

Now that we’ve gone over tips on how to choose the right digital agency, are you on the verge of making a jump to hire a digital marketing agency? There are plenty of tactics used by digital marketing agencies to boost the business of their clients. Let’s take a look at some commonly used tactics used by agencies.

1-Paid Advertising

Paid ads can be expensive. Chances are, you can end up spending a lot of money on paid ads like Google Adwords, Facebook, YouTube. There are numerous ad platforms for your business; however, before you decide on any platform, it’s important to understand more about them.

Google Adwords: This type of advertisement appears on Google search. Businesses pay to get their ad shown on Google. Ads show as sponsored search results; versus organic listings. 

A Word About Ad Extensions:

This option adds additional information about the business, like the contact details, about the company. Clicking on these links will lead the users to the specific page on the website for further details. This helps to improve visibility and get more clicks.

Important!! The type of advertisement chosen to promote your business will be based on your business type and goal. 

Facebook Advertising

Facebook ads have become one of the easiest and fastest ways to reach the desired audience.

First things first, you should know what the goal is for using this type of paid advertising. Facebook offers various objective options, from brand awareness to lead generation, and more. 

Secondly, It’s important to narrow down your audience over a broad one. There are billions of users on Facebook, and choosing your audience is critical. This can be done based on audience interest, age, demographic, behavior, and much more.

Last but not least, Facebook gives you an option to set a budget for your ads daily or on a lifetime budget. There’s also an option to optimize the price by opting for bidding for clicks or impressions. 

YouTube Advertising 

This platform is the second most popular and widely preferred media platform because it has a huge audience. However, the truth is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and money to run ads here. It takes time to learn the various features and how to utilize them in order to get good returns. You have the option to choose from the below types of ads:

1. Skippable ads: Viewers have the opportunity to skip this ad after 5 seconds. This ad is usually played before or during a video.
2. Non-skippable ads: Viewers will not have the option to skip these ads. There is no skip button available. The duration of this type of ad can vary from country to country. Depending on the country, the limit is 15 seconds to 20 seconds.
3. Video discovery ads: Viewers will be able to see these ads in the search results. It consists of text ads and thumbnails. When these ads are clicked, it redirects the user to the YouTube channel.
4. Overlays and banners: These just display ads that occur on the right sidebar on YouTube. They are not videos however as the ad has a website link.

With YouTube having billions of views every day, it opens the gate for businesses to reach a maximum amount of people nationwide and all around the world.

2-SEO

After all, everyone wants to rank on Google. Here comes another tactic to help you rank.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a process used to improve your website ranking on Google and to increase quality traffic to the website through organic(non paid) search results. 

SEO factors to make the website rank:

On-Page SEO (Technical)

The technical SEO aims to:

• Improve the crawling of the website so that Google can rank it
• Speed up website response in terms of the load time of the pages. It includes all the activities except the content of the website.
• Make the website look visually pleasing
• Introduce a neat URL structure of the website

    In a nutshell, technical SEO is everything but the content of the website.

On-Page SEO (Content)

The process of On-Page SEO includes:

• Improving the content of the website
• Develop new content
• Remove any irrelevant content of links

On-page has a pretty straight forward goal where if the content on the page is bad or irrelevant, the website will not rank.  

Off-Page SEO

This activity makes a major impact on whether the website will have better authority in terms of ranking. It includes:

• Relevant and quality inbound links
• High-quality citations 
• Brand mention in media or press 

This process includes all the activities carried on to improve the website authority by getting quality links and backlinks from other websites.

Final Thoughts

Last but not least, once you’ve moved ahead to sign and close the deal, carefully go through the contract and ask questions if you have any before you commit to the terms. You should collect all the necessary information about the digital marketing agency’s policies, its do’s and don’ts to avoid problems down the line. If any of the agencies are not clear about their terms and conditions, it might be troublesome in the future.

 

References:

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/07/02/how-to-choose-the-right-digital-agency-for-your-business/#131a7fdbe120
2. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/digital-marketing-tools
3. https://www.singlegrain.com/res/digital-marketing-agency/
4. https://moz.com/learn/seo/what-is-seo
5. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/facebook-paid-ad-checklist

If you’re someone who wants to dip their toes in the lake of drone video and photography, the sky’s the limit (notice the pun there?).

Drones — technically known as unmanned aerial vehicles — have been doing rounds for quite some time and have become a favorite of many video and photography aficionados and of course, professionals. 

The Rising Popularity of Drones 

As per the Federal Aviation Administration, hobbyist drones are predicted to grow up to 3.5 million by 2021 and commercial drones will rise to a herculean number of 420,000 by 2021.

Speaking of commercial drones, these amazing tech headliners have been an integral part of the Super Bowl Light shows, as a part of media coverage, disaster relief assistance during the catastrophic hurricanes (especially Hurricane Harvey), and much more! 

Thanks to their supreme technology, it comes as no surprise that many industrial giants like the British Broadcasting Corporation use drones for aerial views to aerial images and videos for coverage while Shell Oil Refinery uses this technology to keep an eye on the refineries, conduct inspections on the worksite and machines.   

With the big industrial names in line, small scale organizations can’t be far behind. 

Small to Medium Businesses and Drones 

Even SMBs are taking advantage of drone technology to reinforce their businesses. For instance, California based Drone Cowboys not only shoot video blogs but also use drones to make sure that the cattle are rounded up. 

Similarly, Ohio based home inspector Kevin McGrath puts these drones to use to check on roof conditions and out of access portions of the multi-million dollar homes! 

Additionally, thanks to those tempting click-bait videos on YouTube, we have also seen many paranormal investigations that are executed using drones to spot supernatural activities! Talk about being creative!

Drone Technology 

Now, this is where a drone pilot comes in. 

Today, drone pilots have the advantage of superior technology that allows them to take shots of hundreds of feet above the ground without leaving the safety of the land. Taking aerial shots were not so easy for those who came before us. 

To give you an example, there’s a shot of an aerial photograph taken in 1860 from a hot air balloon by James Wallace Black – an American innovator, overlooking the beautiful city of Boston from almost a height of 2000 feet from the ground. Mr. Black was a passionate man with an appetite for risk. 

Though a good drone pilot of today does not have to undertake such measures, they do face their fair share of difficulties when it comes to taking the perfect aerial drone video.

Shooting the Best Aerial Footage with Your Drone

While novice and the unaware may believe that flying a drone is all about twiddling thumbs with a joystick, there is a surprise at the end of the tunnel. It involves the knowledge of the terrain, the camera, awareness of your surroundings, and a lot of patience which cannot be substantiated with expensive equipment. 

However, once you know your way around the drone and the camera, capturing cinematic shots will be all about the small adjustments and movements that add a layer to your video and quality to your entire footage. 

Here are some techniques you can use for a memorable shot. 

• Coming Into Shot: This handy yet simple technique can help you add depth to your video by focusing on the main subject in the video without compromising the visibility of other elements that are essential to your story.
• Going Low: This technique, when combined with a panoramic view, can add more detail to your shots instead of going high. Of course, this depends upon the storyline.
• The Crane: The favorite of Hollywood – this descending shot tells a story on its own without the need for any words or actions.
• The Rising Shot: An incredibly easy shot mimicking sunrise makes storytelling a piece of cake.
• Vertigo: Most often seen on Instagram handles, this shot adds a beautiful and dramatic twist to your shot.
• The Slider: Unveil the essential elements of your storyline and pique your audience’s interest with this effective shot.

Before we dive into our professional tips and best practices, check out this video we filmed for the Miami International Boat Show, in which we used drone video to capture the best aspects of the event.

7 Tips for Taking a Perfect Drone Video

Some might find it difficult to control their camera, some are unable to maneuver across rough terrain. The possibilities of your video going wrong are endless. However, fate favors the prepared. Here are 7 tips on how to take a perfect drone video.

Table of Contents

1. Minimizing Jerky Movements
2. Flying Backwards – Mastering the Art of flight
3. Using Special Effects
4. Capturing in the Best Natural Environment
5. Understanding Filmmaking
6. Lighting is important
7. Flight Speed

1. Minimizing Jerky Movements

It is not uncommon to witness operators jerk their camera from left to right or top to bottom.

Understandably, they need to change positions to capture the shot but these jerky movements can completely ruin the video experience and make editing a less than pleasant experience.

Drone shots are meant to be more natural and flowy as per the story/subject sans the stiff and robotic movements.

These jerky movements can be avoided by first finding an angle that you are comfortable with. This comfort enables you to be more free and transitional with your movements that allow your shots to glide instead of those spasmodic movements.

Tip: Align your shot with respect as per the drone instead of prioritizing the camera. It is the drone that controls the movement.

2. Flying Backwards – Mastering the Art of flight 

Flying backward adds the extra dimension to your shot, where you are revisiting the elements instead of just gliding over them.

When your drone camera does a reverse gear, it unearths small yet significant objects like hills, people, a lighthouse (why not), instead of visualizing just one specific subject.

For some, flying backward can be a challenge. You can reverse the complete footage using the speed duration tool, but keep practicing those backward movements!

3. Using Special Effects

Mastering the manual movement of your drone with clean and crip shots is only the half battle won. Editing is the other side of the same spectrum where you get to add special effects and sound effects to add a burst of life to your work and engage your audience.

For example, using 3rd party plugins like Reel Smart Motion Blur, you can add the Pixel Motion Blur effect, which creates a blur (if required for your video) or you can speed up certain portions of your footage to make it more life-like.

Free tools like Windows Movie Maker 6.0, Windows Live Movie Maker, and GoPro Fusion Studio are a great choice if you are a beginner. However, paid tools like WeVideo and Cyberlink Power Director are excellent choices for business owners looking for a 360-degree solution.

For sound effects, you should be careful of the sounds you would add to your video. For instance, while flying over a busy city bridge, adding faint honks and tires rolling with a dash of the wind noise will be more realistic. Avoid the buzzing sound of the drone at all costs!

You can either record the sounds yourself with a decent microphone or use tools like Zap Splat and Audio Blocks that house thousands of accurate sounds that you can implement in your drone videos.

4. Capturing in the Best Natural Environment 

Going au-natural for your drone videos (if possible) is the best way to go. Without installing extra filters and merely capturing the landscape below is what gives authenticity to your footage.

Having said that, if your video needs additional reinforcement, using these filters sparsely is the ideal way to go.

5. Understanding Filmmaking 

Filmmaking makes up for the foundation of your video. A drone is simply a tool ( a handy one, of course) but unless you know how to apply filmmaking skills, you cannot do much.

The best way to go is to think like a filmmaker. Create a storyline and based on that, create a storyboard that you fill with appropriate shots that can breathe life into your story. Visualizing these shots via this storyboard will help you get that perfect cut based on which you can shoot your entire video.

You can sign up for online courses where you will be taught how to create frameworks, outline storyboards, tips & tricks to handle your drone camera movement and create a remarkable visual story.

6. Lighting is Important 

It goes without saying that wrong lighting can dilute the experience of your entire footage. Many times, drones cannot adjust to ever-changing contrasts in the scenery and all you can see are images hidden under the white flash.

The simplest way to go about it is to angle your camera according to the sun. Set it at a lower angle if facing the sun to avoid direct impact. Check for the effect of the direct light on your camera before you shoot.

You can also use software and tools to adjust the lighting to your final footage.

7. Flight Speed

As mentioned above, speeding up is sometimes a desirable effect that can improve the quality of your drone video. The reason behind this is that in the case of landscapes like mountains, conventional drones might capture videos that seem a little slow when checked.

All you have to do is speed up the screen to make it more consumable by your viewers and add more movement to the scene. Experts suggest amping the speed up to 300 in the speed tool.

A Word About The Rules of Drone Flying

The flying of drones comes with its own set of rules and regulations. Adhering to these rules will keep you out of trouble.

You and your drone must be registered with the FAA. Whether you are doing it for recreational purposes or commercial requirements, you need to register via the FAADroneZone portal. If you are traveling with your drone domestically, you need to bring it along with you in carry-on luggage only and not with the check-in baggage.

If you are flying a drone recreationally and as a hobbyist.

• You cannot use your drone for commercial purposes.
• Your drone must be registered with the FAA.
• You must follow community-based safety guidelines abiding by regulations set by the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics).
• Your drone must weigh less than 55 lbs unless certified by a CMO (community-based organization).
• You cannot and will not fly your drone next to an aircraft.
• Your limit of flying space in the Class G airspace and in order to fly in Class B, C, D, or E, you need to get authorization from the airspace.
• You cannot and must not fly near emergency response regions.

If you are flying your drone for commercial purposes

• You should have a Remote Pilot Certificate authorized and certified by the FAA for commercial purposes.
• You must fly your drone during daylight or civil twilight.
• Your drone/UAC should weigh less than 55 pounds altogether.
• You must give way to manned aircraft.
• You can only fly in the G Class airspace. For other classes, you require the CMO authorization.
• You must not fly directly over people.
• Your maximum height should not go beyond 400 feet.
• You are not allowed to fly your drone from a moving vehicle unless the location has a sparse population.
• Your drone’s maximum speed limit is 400mph.

Conclusion

A drone video shoot is a challenging but satisfying endeavor. If you are someone who can master this skill, there is a world of opportunities in the commercial sector. You can also check out the top aerial photographers and videographers on Instagram for some inspiration.

Hope these tips and information help you in your quest to become a drone video expert!

Brand Building on Social Media

Social media used optimally is a powerful way to build your brand awareness, engagement, and to bring traffic to your brand.

So what does “used optimally” look like in 2020?

It still means getting the right messaging in the right format to the right customers at the right time. But the best way to do that continually evolves. Platforms change, audiences change, and product and service offerings change.

What doesn’t change?

Every post, follow, tweet, or like is extending your presence and telling the world something about your brand. Your brand remains the key to your success and is sometimes more important than your services or products. It informs the world at a glance, sometimes in a word, who you are and what you stand for.

Once your brand has matured and is defined to the point that you have detailed brand guidelines, you can harness social media to help your brand take flight! This means you have a logo, color palette, brand vocabulary, and standards that express your brand effectively and consistently across any platform.

(PS- If you don’t have brand guidelines, we can help you out with that. –Give a call!)

Here are 5 proven brand building strategies to help you effectively attract, engage, and build your digital audience across your social media accounts.

 

1- Picking the right platform.

Today, most companies don’t have the resources or the time to play full tilt across all social media platforms. And frankly, not all platforms are going to be right for your brand anyhow. The secret to optimizing your online presence lies in choosing the platform(s) that allow you to best express and promote your brand identity and share your brand POV.

Start with your audience.

Where do your customers hang out?

What platforms will let you most effectively engage with that target audience and best showcases our products or services?

Every channel has its own set of opportunities and challenges. Let’s start with the Big 5.

• Facebook is perfect for promoting brand awareness due to its enormous size and the heterogeneous nature of its audience. Facebook’s audience is the largest in the world and crosses all ages, with a slight skew to female. Heads up! If your product targets Gen-Z, this may not be where you want to put your time and effort. Teen usage is down, and this is not where the cool kids are. Trust me. But for any other age group, this is a great place for brand building on social media, running promotions and discounts, and engaging with your base. Facebook rocks in most spaces, with some limitations in terms of medical products.
• Instagram is becoming essential to visually focused products and services such as design, gardening, home design, or fashion and is very popular with brands and influencers. According to Statista, 35% of US teens consider Instagram their favorite social network. The Instagram live video and story features are unique and growing in popularity. Their audience of age group 13- 29 is significant, with 47% of 30- 49-year-olds using it. Usage drops off at the age 50-64-year-old group to 23%.
• Twitter has more than 336 million monthly users globally, with 22% of US adult using. Twitter lends itself to time-sensitive content and conversation and is a great place to have industry interactions, build industry contacts, and share news about your brand. Surprisingly 44% of 18-24-year-olds use Twitter.
• Pinterest is increasingly used as a visual search engine and is likely an excellent place for you to invest. Pinterest is an ideal social network for brands that rely upon visuals, and for graphics, to share information, showcase products or share inspirational content. Their audience of 300 million people spreads across the ages of 18- 64.
• LinkedIn clearly leans toward professional career content and has less frequent daily usage. LinkedIn remains relevant for B2b content and making corporate connections.
• YouTube – YouTube ranks higher than Facebook for US adult usage and now has more than 1.9 billion users. It is a great way to share your brand and engage with your audience. Video is emerging as a leading format, and YouTube is one of the most widely used video platforms. YouTube skews toward men.

Demographics are going to help you choose the best channels for your brand and how best to engage with them. For a deeper dive into demographics, including where the respective audiences live, how often they are online, gender, income, and education, check out these 2020 metrics. Recent demographics for each network that are readily available. –https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/

 

2 – Be true to your brand!

Remember, your brand guidelines are your bible and should be your final litmus test on anything your clients or potential clients will see, hear, or experience.

If communication is not in sync with your brand, don’t do it. Period.

We’ve all seen examples of the seemingly innocuous posts or memes that have taken down the best of brands. Social media is forever, guys.

Your digital presence is vital to your brand. It must be curated, brand forward, consistent, and current. Your images and your content must ooze of your brand. Your customers should be able to recognize your visual brand in your posts before reading a word.

Over time, you will develop a “brand voice” that is unmistakable. Let your tone and brand personality develop until your audience views you and hears you as an old friend.

3 – Content

Give your audience a reason to follow your social media accounts and remind them to do so at every opportunity. Make it simple for them to follow, comment, engage and share.

It all starts with content.

Your content must be valuable, engaging, or entertaining, current, and relevant to break through the plethora of content available on the web today.! Your readers don’t care about your dog’s antics.

Make your content fresh and memorable, and attractive by using compelling images.

Make your content visually appealing by creating lots of paragraph breaks and avoiding long sentences. Use headers and subheaders. Nobody wants to scale a wall of  copy.

Adding graphics and illustrations if a great way to make your content shareable.

Once your epic content is posted, remember to stay active on your platforms. Reply to any comments promptly, letting readers know that they matter.

IMPORTANT!

Each platform may have a different strategy, which is another reason to focus on the ones with the most juice for your brand.

Every platform has a different audience, and it is essential that you understand them and create a marketing persona for each platform.

Repurpose your content, so it best resonates across each specific platform. Pin down who you are talking to on each channel and adjust your messaging and voice accordingly. Recycle, repurpose, share.

 

4 – Aim for consistency on your social media accounts

The end game of social media is exposure and engagement.

Post and stay active on each social media account.

Connect continuously with your customers through your social media accounts.

 

5- Leverage influencers in your space

Find the influencers in your space and follow them, comment on their posts, and even post about their work.

Mention them or tag them on your site. The influencer will likely get a Google alert.

Email them if you mention them on your site or reference them.

Get on their radar in a respectful and way.

Your goal is to get them eventually to share a piece of your content with their followers. Working with influencers is a long game and it will take time to build a relationship, but it will happen if you’re consistent, and your content is fantastic.

 

Are you ready for your brand to take off on social media?

We manage it all from branding and graphic design, video production, content creation, web design, social media marketing, SEO copywriting, and more.